A key House Republican is pushing the Biden administration to investigate the artificial intelligence company G42 over its possible links to China’s military, warning that the United Arab Emirates-based company may put American tech in the hands of those running the communist regime’s surveillance apparatus.
Rep. Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin Republican and chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, is pushing for a federal investigation into G42’s work comes as Congress renews its push to regulate AI amid growing concerns about the threats posed by the new tech and its use by America’s adversaries. G42 is an AI research and development company created in Abu Dhabi that said on its website it views AI as a “powerful force for good.” The House panel, however, has said it has evidence G42 works with blacklisted Chinese entities and that its CEO operates a network of Emirati and China-based companies to support China’s military and intelligence services, according to Mr. Gallagher.
The congressman wrote to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo this month to urge her department to investigate the company for export control risks that endanger American tech.
G42 and the Department of Commerce did not respond to requests for comment.
“Multiple U.S. companies that develop and sell export-controlled technology and products maintain extensive commercial relationships with G42 and its subsidiaries, to include Microsoft, Dell and OpenAI,” Mr. Gallagher wrote. “Without restrictions on G42, the hardware and software developed by these U.S. companies are at significant risk for diversion to G42’s PRC-based affiliates, many of which support [China’s] surveillance state and human rights abuses.”
As an example of G42’s concerning connections, Mr. Gallagher said G42 CEO Peng Xiao served in leadership positions for Pegasus, a subsidiary of G42’s corporate affiliate DarkMatter.
DarkMatter makes spyware and surveillance tools and its Pegasus subsidiary has its own office in China. Many tools made by DarkMatter and Pegasus are already subject to export controls and G42 has active relationships with blacklisted entities such as Huawei and the Beijing Genomics Institute, according to Mr. Gallagher.
While Mr. Gallagher urged the Biden administration to review restrictions for the AI company, his Senate colleagues have expanded their review of AI to include the adoption of AI for the federal government and its potential to upend the journalism industry.
The task of understanding how AI may disrupt American life has proven challenging for some lawmakers.
At a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday, Sen. Tom Carper joked about Congress’ steep learning curve to understand new technology.
“When Chuck Schumer, our leader, told us a couple of months ago we’re going to have a series of briefings on AI, I said to my colleagues I can barely spell AI,” the Delaware Democrat said at the hearing. “Several of them said to me later they could barely spell AI as well. But I think I’ve almost got it down, at least the spelling.”
Others sought to downplay the daunting task before federal policymakers and agencies. Sen. Gary Peters, Michigan Democrat, noted that the government’s use of AI is far from new, noting the U.S. Postal Service’s adoption of AI some three decades ago to expedite mail delivery.
Senate Judiciary Committee lawmakers, meanwhile, conducted an oversight hearing on how AI may overhaul the journalism marketplace.
Sen. Josh Hawley, Missouri Republican, decried the potential for AI applications to consolidate control of the information economy online, as people increasingly turn to the internet for information.
“I think we have to ask ourselves: Do we want all the news and information in this nation to be controlled by two or three companies? I certainly don’t,” Mr. Hawley said at the Judiciary Committee hearing.
Mr. Hawley said making new policy on AI represented a tall task for Congress and said he heard more concerns about the tech from Missourians than those cheerleading for new AI innovations in Washington.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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