Chinese authorities have instructed the country’s leading artificial intelligence entrepreneurs and researchers to avoid traveling to the United States due to security concerns, according to a recent report.
Officials fear that AI experts traveling abroad could inadvertently disclose sensitive information about China’s technological advancements. Additionally, there are concerns that executives might be detained and used as leverage in diplomatic negotiations, drawing comparisons to the arrest of a Huawei executive in Canada at the request of the U.S. during the first Trump administration.
The U.S. and China remain locked in a competitive race for AI dominance, with Chinese startup DeepSeek recently unveiling AI models that it claims rival or even surpass those of leading U.S. firms, such as OpenAI and Google, at a significantly lower cost.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a recent meeting with top Communist Party officials, emphasized the need to strengthen national security, particularly in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. He stressed that safeguarding political security should be the country’s highest priority.
Last month, Xi met with leading figures in China’s technology sector, encouraging them to embrace innovation and have confidence in the country’s economic model and market strength.
Executives who choose to travel abroad are required to report their plans before departure and provide a detailed briefing upon their return, outlining their activities and interactions, according to the report.
DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng reportedly declined an invitation to an AI summit in Paris in February, while another prominent AI entrepreneur canceled a planned U.S. visit last year following government instructions.
