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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. bpodgursky · · focus · HN ↗
        All effective foreign interference takes popular sentiments and helps organize and focus it. You can&#x27;t create movements without ground support.

        But the thing is, there are a LOT of issues where the masses are generally grumpy but don&#x27;t act on it. Civilization only really functions because people don&#x27;t shut down the country over every populist urge. Effective agitprop amplifies this and makes it happen.

        1. runsWphotons · · focus · HN ↗
          What is your point? You agree people have the right to act on their beliefs to effect democratic change, right? Surely that includes making up their own minds about information.
          1. bpodgursky · · focus · HN ↗
            We should and should cut out sources of foreign funding and support, and prosecute and publicize genuine foreign agents, while allowing people to exercise their political rights.
            1. otterley · · focus · HN ↗
              Why? Do you believe free speech is a right only Americans should have? Or do you believe that people shouldn’t be free to evaluate competing points of view and decide for themselves?
              1. bpodgursky · · focus · HN ↗
                I believe I live in the real world, where we have to figure out how to integrate abstract principles in a manner that allows our survival as a civilization.

                Reciprocity is a pretty straightforward strategy — we can allow uninhibited competing points of view from countries that themselves allow unlimited speech internally.

                1. otterley · · focus · HN ↗
                  &gt; that allows our survival as a civilization.

                  What does &quot;survival as a civilization&quot; mean to you, exactly, and how might speech from other countries threaten this?

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