Approximately 200 Silicon Valley startups sent a letter on 周三 (22日) to US President Trump and his administration officials, urging the White House not to block access to Chinese open-weight artificial intelligence models. The companies warned that such a ban would deal a fatal blow to America's next-generation startup ecosystem. According to Politico, the White House is experiencing significant internal divisions on how to respond to Chinese AI development. The debate highlights broader tensions in US technology policy toward China, with officials split between hardline restrictions and concerns about harming domestic innovation.
Little Tech Association Warns of Startup Closures
The newly formed Little Tech Association initiated the action, stating that Chinese models such as Moonshot AI's Kimi K3 and Alibaba's models have become survival foundations for many US developers. These open-source models offer superior performance at costs far lower than closed-source models from US giants like Anthropic or OpenAI, according to the letter.
The association's members include prominent incubator Y Combinator and privacy service provider Proton. Association member Suhail Doshi stated that if a ban is implemented, hundreds of US companies will "instantly collapse" and be forced to shift budgets toward a few closed-source giants, further consolidating industry monopolies.
The companies recommended that the government adopt "surgical rather than sledgehammer" precision regulation instead of blanket bans based on country of origin.
White House Officials Split on Moonshot AI Response
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Michael Kratsios are taking a hardline stance. They accused Moonshot AI of large-scale "distillation" of Anthropic's Fable model, characterizing it as industrial-scale intellectual property theft and threatening to impose sanctions. Kratsios further accused the company of illegally obtaining restricted NVIDIA GB300 servers.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed concerns about startup companies' ability to access technology. The Commerce Department has not currently drafted plans to add Chinese AI companies to the "Entity List," and some White House insiders remain skeptical of technical accusations that distillation alone could surpass leading models.
NVIDIA CEO Huang Supports Open-Source Models
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang voiced support for the open-source ecosystem in an interview, stating that these Chinese models are excellent and that openness helps discover security vulnerabilities and enhance global system resilience.
China Foreign Ministry Criticizes US Politicization
In response to US accusations, China's Foreign Ministry criticized the US for politicizing technology and trade issues, arguing that such actions interfere with global AI development and do not serve any party's interests. President Trump has not publicly stated his position on this controversy, and the policy direction remains uncertain.
FAQ
What did US small tech companies request from the White House on 周三 (22日)?
Approximately 200 Silicon Valley startups sent a letter urging the White House not to block access to Chinese open-weight AI models, warning that such a ban would deal a fatal blow to America's next-generation startup ecosystem.
Why are White House officials divided on Chinese AI models?
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and OSTP Director Michael Kratsios accused Moonshot AI of intellectual property theft and threatened sanctions, while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed concerns about limiting startup access to technology. The Commerce Department has not drafted plans to add Chinese AI companies to the Entity List.
What position did NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang take on Chinese open-source AI models?
Jensen Huang voiced support for the open-source ecosystem, stating that Chinese models are excellent and that openness helps discover security vulnerabilities and enhance global system resilience.
