BEIJING – Chinese authorities are advising the country’s top artificial intelligence (AI) entrepreneurs and researchers to avoid traveling to the United States, citing concerns over national security and potential risks, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Friday.
Officials fear that Chinese AI experts visiting the US could inadvertently reveal sensitive information about the nation’s technological advancements. Additionally, there are concerns that executives could be detained and used as leverage in geopolitical negotiations, reminiscent of the high-profile detention of a Huawei executive in Canada at Washington’s request during the first Trump administration.
The restrictions extend beyond AI, with key figures in other critical industries such as robotics also being discouraged from traveling to the US and its allies unless absolutely necessary. Those who do travel are required to report their plans before departure and debrief authorities upon return.
As part of these measures, DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng declined an invitation to an AI summit in Paris in February, while another prominent Chinese AI entrepreneur canceled a US trip last year after receiving directives from Beijing.
The US and China remain locked in a competitive race for AI dominance, with China’s DeepSeek recently unveiling AI models that claim to rival leading US firms like OpenAI and Google at significantly lower costs.
In a rare meeting with top Chinese tech executives in February, President Xi Jinping urged industry leaders to demonstrate their capabilities and place confidence in China’s technological model and market, reinforcing the country’s strategic push for AI leadership.