China state newspaper slams Anthropic's push to curb AI as Cold War tactic
anthropic
| Source: HN | Original article
A Chinese state newspaper has denounced Anthropic's push to pause AI development, labeling it a Cold War‑style tactic.
China’s state‑run Global Times has denounced an essay by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei that urges the industry to slow the development of advanced AI models. In an editorial published on September 14, the newspaper called the proposal a “Cold War playbook” aimed at containing China’s technological rise, accusing the call of masquerading as a safety argument while actually targeting Chinese labs with tighter chip‑export controls and a crackdown on model distillation.
The criticism follows a broader backlash in Beijing after Amodei’s essay sparked calls from U.S. lawmakers for new AI regulations. Earlier this week, the Chinese government’s official media outlet framed the slowdown push as a geopolitical maneuver rather than a purely technical concern.
Why it matters is twofold. First, the episode highlights how AI development has become a flashpoint in the broader U.S.–China rivalry, with policy proposals on one side being interpreted as strategic pressure on the other. Second, the Global Times’ framing could influence domestic sentiment and bolster support for protective measures, such as stricter export restrictions on high‑performance chips that are essential for training frontier models.
As we reported on September 15, Beijing already hit back at Anthropic’s calls to curb China’s AI progress. The next steps to watch include whether Chinese regulators will formalise new controls on AI hardware or software, how U.S. policymakers respond to the diplomatic pushback, and whether other AI firms will adjust their safety roadmaps amid the growing geopolitical debate. The unfolding dialogue is set to shape both the pace of AI innovation and the contours of international tech competition.
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