Central Wyoming News

Senator John Barrasso, the ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has voiced his concerns about the Department of Energy's ability to protect its cutting-edge research and development into artificial intelligence (AI) from China. In a letter addressed to Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, Senator Barrasso highlighted the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) attempts to target AI R&D and emphasized necessary steps that the DOE must take as the U.S.-China AI race intensifies.

Senator Barrasso stressed the urgency of the situation, stating, "In the face of mounting threats posed by the CCP’s pursuit of technological dominance in AI, DOE’s active engagement with CCP-affiliated individuals and organizations is recklessly foolish. This engagement must cease immediately." He also emphasized the importance of addressing these issues promptly for broad congressional support for DOE's AI leadership.

The letter outlined three critical tasks that the DOE must undertake to counter the CCP's targeting of AI R&D. These include remediating chronic counterintelligence shortcomings, discontinuing active R&D sharing with CCP members, and fully funding the DOE Office of the Inspector General.

Senator Barrasso's concerns were further fueled by recent events, such as the indictment of a Chinese national for stealing confidential files related to Google's AI efforts, underscoring the danger posed by CCP's efforts to obtain American AI secrets. He also expressed worry over DOE's engagement with CCP-affiliated individuals, calling for an immediate halt to such collaborations.

Additionally, Senator Barrasso emphasized the importance of fully supporting the DOE Office of the Inspector General to oversee the protection of DOE's AI R&D from adversarial nations like China. With U.S. officials expressing grave concerns over hacking and theft of AI secrets, ensuring the security of national technological advancements remains paramount.

Senator Barrasso requested Secretary Granholm to respond to the letter by April 8, 2024, detailing a plan of action to address the highlighted issues. Furthermore, he urged a direct response to his previous letter dated March 4, 2024, by April 1, 2024.