Gong Zhe is a senior sci-tech editor at CGTN Digital.
His opinions are his own and in no way represent the views of CGTN.When OpenAI recently urged governments to restrict Chinese-developed AI models like DeepSeek-R1, it wrapped its plea in familiar rhetoric: "security risks" and "unmanageable threats."But this alarmism masks a pettier reality.
Much like a child running to their father after a playground scuffle, OpenAI has turned to policymakers rather than competing fairly in the sandbox of innovation.OpenAI's sudden concern for "security" is as hollow as a toddler's claim that "they started it!"Consider this: GPT-4, its own flagship model, has been repeatedly flagged for spreading misinformation and racial biases.
Yet OpenAI demands Chinese models be banned & while its own products face no such scrutiny.
This isn't risk management; it's a tantrum thrown by a market leader rattled by superior competition.The pattern is unmistakable.
When TikTok charmed global audiences, the U.S.
government cried "data theft" despite zero evidence.
When Huawei pioneered 5G, it became a "national security threat." Now, OpenAI's appeal to regulators fits neatly into this tradition: If you can't win, get daddy to change the rules.AI's greatest challenges & climate modeling, pandemic prediction, poverty alleviation & demand global collaboration.
By framing Chinese innovation as a boogeyman, OpenAI risks repeating Cold War-era tech rivalries that stifled progress for decades.The EU's AI Act and China's governance guidelines already agree on principles like transparency and human rights.
Instead of bans, we need frameworks that bridge these efforts & because the "dad" of government intervention shouldn't pick winners but foster fair play.OpenAI's PR team has backpedaled, claiming they only want to spread what they define as "democratic AI." But the subtext is clear: democratic means "dominated by us."Media outlets have already mocked this hypocrisy, noting that OpenAI's "principles" evaporate when its market share is threatened.
The real danger isn't Chinese AI & it's Western firms weaponizing politics to avoid competing.