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Feds Target AI Critics as "Foreign Agents"

396 points · 457 comments · nmeagent

  1. 737min · · focus · HN ↗
    CCP is pushing and amplifying AI opposition efforts, that’s a fact regardless of US politics. CCP is also working hard to smuggle around American export control laws for AI tech, at the same time.

    <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.justice.gov&#x2F;opa&#x2F;pr&#x2F;american-citizen-who-worked-agent-prc-sentenced-two-years-prison" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.justice.gov&#x2F;opa&#x2F;pr&#x2F;american-citizen-who-worked-a...

    <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.latimes.com&#x2F;california&#x2F;story&#x2F;2026-07-28&#x2F;fbi-raids-target-san-bernardino-county-supervisor-ontario-councilman" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.latimes.com&#x2F;california&#x2F;story&#x2F;2026-07-28&#x2F;fbi-raid...

    <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.justice.gov&#x2F;opa&#x2F;pr&#x2F;chinese-national-and-two-us-citizens-charged-conspiring-smuggle-artificial-intelligence" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.justice.gov&#x2F;opa&#x2F;pr&#x2F;chinese-national-and-two-us-c...

    <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.justice.gov&#x2F;opa&#x2F;pr&#x2F;former-google-engineer-found-guilty-economic-espionage-and-theft-confidential-ai-technology" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.justice.gov&#x2F;opa&#x2F;pr&#x2F;former-google-engineer-found-...

    Etc

    1. dumberquestions · · focus · HN ↗
      I have no doubt China is taking part, what I doubt is that this makes any meaningful part of the total US anti AI sentiment, which can be much more easily explained by job loss anxieties, fear of massive change and good old NIMBYism. (Obligatory not an American).
      1. dosisking · · focus · HN ↗
        I am not necessarily anti-AI. I am more anti-Sam Altman, against using LLMs to usurp power, and against using AI as a scapegoat to abdicate responsibility for decisions that are made. AI itself encompasses so much more than LLMs.
        1. Onavo · · focus · HN ↗
          Sam at least can be understood. He&#x27;s in it to make money and nothing else. The most dangerous men are people like Dario, who sit on top of their elitist towers and think they are right and will burn down the world in the name of righteousness.
          1. no-name-here · · focus · HN ↗
            &gt; will burn down the world in the name of righteousness

            Is this referring to the &#x27;safe development of AI&#x27;, as they say AI development will happen even if they don’t exist, but other companies are less focused on AI safety?

            1. watwut · · focus · HN ↗
              Their idea of safety and alignement is sane person dyatopia and harm.

              Meanwhile, they dont care about acrual harm to real people. They sell to Palantier for christ sake.

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