Source: Liberty Times
The New York Times reported on the 17th that according to three sources familiar with the matter, officials from the White House and Congress have been carefully reviewing an artificial intelligence (AI) agreement Apple Inc., a major American mobile phone manufacturer, is planning to reach with the Chinese internet group Alibaba in recent months. This agreement aims to allow iPhones in China to use Alibaba's AI, but the US government and Congress are concerned that this move might help Alibaba improve its AI capabilities, expand the reach of its chatbots with restricted content controls, and further expose Apple to China's censorship and data-sharing laws.
Washington Opposes Cooperation with Alibaba
The report pointed out that Apple considers new AI functions as key to the future success of the iPhone. If it does not cooperate with Alibaba's AI technology in its second-largest global market, which accounts for nearly one-fifth of total sales—China—it risks falling behind local competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi in terms of market share in China, significantly impacting Apple's business in China. Meanwhile, as AI, with its potential for coordinating military attacks and controlling autonomous drones, is considered a critical military tool, Washington, worried about a potential conflict with Beijing in the future, has attempted to restrict Beijing's access to AI technology and cut off its ability to manufacture and purchase AI chips.
Opaque Agreement "Extremely Troubling"
Three unnamed sources said that officials from the White House and the House of Representatives' Special Committee on U.S.-China Strategic Competition directly asked Apple executives and lobbyists about the terms of the aforementioned transaction, what data would be shared, and whether Apple would sign any legal commitments with Chinese regulatory bodies when they met in Washington. Two of the sources said that during a March meeting with the aforementioned House committee, Apple executives were unable to answer most of these questions.
House Intelligence Committee senior Democrat Krishna Mohan described Apple's lack of transparency regarding the agreement with Alibaba as extremely troubling. Krishna Mohan also said that Alibaba is a typical representative of Beijing's military-civil fusion strategy, and no one knows why Apple chose to collaborate with it on AI. However, this cooperation raises serious concerns about helping Alibaba collect data to refine its AI models and allowing Apple to overlook the basic rights of its Chinese iPhone users.
Apple, the White House, and Alibaba have all declined to comment. Apple has never publicly acknowledged reaching an AI deal in China, but Alibaba Group Chairman Joseph Tsai publicly confirmed the matter in February. The US government and Congress question this cooperation as Apple's latest challenge in maintaining its business between the US and China amid rising geopolitical tensions. Three years ago, Apple abandoned purchasing memory chips from its Chinese supplier Yangtze Memory Technologies due to pressure from Washington, and now faces profit losses again due to high tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese products.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7505642164316160531/
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