● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 negative
US Government Website Briefly Used Chinese AI Model Despite FBI Warnings
Key points
- Federal Register used Alibaba's Qwen AI model for search.
- FBI previously named Alibaba for alleged AI model distillation.
- The AI tool was removed after social media users noticed it.
- Unclear how long the Qwen model was active on the site.
Chinese AI Model Deployed on Federal Register
US government officials removed a Chinese AI search tool from the Federal Register website on Wednesday. The tool utilized one of Alibaba's Qwen AI models to search public comments on proposed regulations.
Contradiction with FBI Warnings
The deployment of the Alibaba AI model contradicted earlier warnings from the FBI. The agency had previously named Alibaba among six leading Chinese firms accused of "industrial-scale distillation" of US frontier AI models, which the FBI stated helps China reduce development costs and time in the global AI race.
Discovery and Removal
Social media users first noticed the presence of the Chinese AI model on the government website. A widely shared screenshot from September 15 showed the option available. The model was removed on Wednesday, meaning it was active for at least one day. The National Archives, which operates the Federal Register, has not commented on the removal.
Industry Reaction and Security Concerns
Daniel Castro, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, described the situation as an "insane" disconnect, given the FBI's encouragement for stakeholders to use American AI models. The potential security risks depend on the model's training methods and whether US data was processed by Alibaba-controlled systems, according to Georgetown University Law Professor Anupam Chander and Senator Marker Warner.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
A US government website, the Federal Register, briefly deployed an AI search tool from Alibaba's Qwen model, which was subsequently removed. This occurred despite the FBI previously identifying Alibaba as one of six Chinese firms allegedly involved in "industrial-scale distillation" of US frontier AI models, raising concerns about national security and intellectual property.