Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
AI Execs Say US Must Increase Exports, Improve Infrastructure to Beat China
Reuters logo
By Reuters
Published 1 hour ago on
May 8, 2025

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ranking Member Cantwell (D-WA) listen as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies before a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing titled “Winning the AI Race: Strengthening U.S. Capabilities in Computing and Innovation,” on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 8, 2025. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Top executives at American AI giants OpenAI, Microsoft and Advanced Micro Devices said at a U.S. Senate hearing on Thursday that while the U.S. is ahead in the artificial-intelligence race, Washington needs to boost infrastructure and champion exports to stay ahead of Beijing.

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, is looking to cut regulatory barriers to U.S. artificial intelligence after China’s DeepSeek shocked the world with a high-quality, affordable AI model last year.

The U.S. tech industry has seized on that development to lobby the Trump administration for more favorable policies including loosened export restrictions on AI chips, arguing that promoting worldwide use of AI that reflects democratic values is a matter of national interest.

“The number-one factor that will define whether the U.S. or China wins this race is whose technology is most broadly adopted in the rest of the world,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith.

“The lesson from Huawei and 5G is that whoever gets there first will be difficult to supplant,” he said.

Chinese Manufacturer of AI Chip Faces US Restrictions

The Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer, which also makes an advanced AI chip, has faced U.S. restrictions over concerns its equipment could be used to spy on users. Reuters reported last month that Huawei is ramping up to make mass shipments of advanced AI chips to Chinese customers.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, maker of flagship AI model ChatGPT, is testifying, as are Microsoft’s Smith and Lisa Su, CEO of AI chipmaker AMD. Microsoft is a major backer of OpenAI.

Altman told the panel he expects societal advances from AI to accelerate in the next few years through U.S. investment.

“Investment in infrastructure is critical,” Altman said during the hearing. The U.S. “will be not only the place where the AI revolution happens but all the revolutions after,” he said.

The development of AI has depended on specialized computer chips, huge amounts of data to train large-language models, vast amounts of energy and a technically skilled workforce.

Smith called for more education on AI to speed up adoption and investment in electrical infrastructure and AI research in development.

DeepSeek, a Hangzhou-based upstart, stunned the world last year when it unveiled a powerful AI model competitive with the likes of OpenAI and Meta Platforms, but cheaper to run.

The move was surprising against the backdrop of sweeping rules imposed by President Joe Biden’s administration, aimed at cutting off China from American AI chips and capabilities, over fears Beijing could use the powerful technology to supercharge its military.

The Trump administration has so far taken a similar approach, last month imposing new licensing requirements on shipments to China of AI chips made by Nvidia and AMD that the companies designed to get around prior export restrictions.

But the limitations have spurred criticism from industry participants and some lawmakers who say the rules hamstring U.S. companies and hand the lucrative Chinese AI market to companies like Huawei.

“The way to beat China in the AI race is to out-race them in innovation, not saddle AI developers with European-style regulations,” Cruz said in a statement announcing the hearing.

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington and Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by David Gregorio, Chizu Nomiyama and Matthew Lewis)

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

‘Gov. Greg Abbott, How Dare You? Officials in Texas Clash Over Gaza Resolution

DON'T MISS

USA Cardinal Prevost Elected Pope Leo XIV

DON'T MISS

State Bar’s Botched Exam for New Lawyers Is CA’s Latest Entry to the Hall of Shame

DON'T MISS

I Applaud Fresno Unified’s New Focus, but the Plan Needs Work

DON'T MISS

Looking for a Perfect Companion? Mittens Is One Handsome Kitten

DON'T MISS

White Smoke Billows From Sistine Chapel as New Pope Elected

DON'T MISS

AI Execs Say US Must Increase Exports, Improve Infrastructure to Beat China

DON'T MISS

More Older Americans Worry Social Security Won’t Be There for Them

DON'T MISS

Head Start Gets a Reprieve From Trump Budget Cuts, but the Fight Isn’t Over

DON'T MISS

Sen. John Fetterman Raises Alarms With Outburst at Meeting With Union Officials

UP NEXT

USA Cardinal Prevost Elected Pope Leo XIV

UP NEXT

State Bar’s Botched Exam for New Lawyers Is CA’s Latest Entry to the Hall of Shame

UP NEXT

I Applaud Fresno Unified’s New Focus, but the Plan Needs Work

UP NEXT

Looking for a Perfect Companion? Mittens Is One Handsome Kitten

UP NEXT

White Smoke Billows From Sistine Chapel as New Pope Elected

UP NEXT

AI Execs Say US Must Increase Exports, Improve Infrastructure to Beat China

UP NEXT

More Older Americans Worry Social Security Won’t Be There for Them

UP NEXT

Head Start Gets a Reprieve From Trump Budget Cuts, but the Fight Isn’t Over

UP NEXT

Sen. John Fetterman Raises Alarms With Outburst at Meeting With Union Officials

UP NEXT

Catholic Cardinals Signal With Black Smoke There Is No New Pope Yet

I Applaud Fresno Unified’s New Focus, but the Plan Needs Work

15 minutes ago

Looking for a Perfect Companion? Mittens Is One Handsome Kitten

40 minutes ago

White Smoke Billows From Sistine Chapel as New Pope Elected

1 hour ago

AI Execs Say US Must Increase Exports, Improve Infrastructure to Beat China

1 hour ago

More Older Americans Worry Social Security Won’t Be There for Them

2 hours ago

Head Start Gets a Reprieve From Trump Budget Cuts, but the Fight Isn’t Over

2 hours ago

Sen. John Fetterman Raises Alarms With Outburst at Meeting With Union Officials

2 hours ago

Catholic Cardinals Signal With Black Smoke There Is No New Pope Yet

2 hours ago

Cancer Before Age 50 Is Increasing. A New Study Looks at Which Types

2 hours ago

Trump Administration Invokes State Secrets Privilege in Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Case

2 hours ago

‘Gov. Greg Abbott, How Dare You? Officials in Texas Clash Over Gaza Resolution

The San Marcos City Council voted 5-2 against a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza early Wednesday morning, following an extensive p...

2 minutes ago

2 minutes ago

‘Gov. Greg Abbott, How Dare You? Officials in Texas Clash Over Gaza Resolution

FILE PHOTO: Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost poses after being elevated to the rank of cardinal at the Vatican, September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo
5 minutes ago

USA Cardinal Prevost Elected Pope Leo XIV

8 minutes ago

State Bar’s Botched Exam for New Lawyers Is CA’s Latest Entry to the Hall of Shame

15 minutes ago

I Applaud Fresno Unified’s New Focus, but the Plan Needs Work

Mister Mittens GV Wire's adoptable pet of the week, May 8, 2025
40 minutes ago

Looking for a Perfect Companion? Mittens Is One Handsome Kitten

White smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope has been elected at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. REUTERS/DYLAN MARTINEZ
1 hour ago

White Smoke Billows From Sistine Chapel as New Pope Elected

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ranking Member Cantwell (D-WA) listen as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies before a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing titled “Winning the AI Race: Strengthening U.S. Capabilities in Computing and Innovation,” on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 8, 2025. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
1 hour ago

AI Execs Say US Must Increase Exports, Improve Infrastructure to Beat China

2 hours ago

More Older Americans Worry Social Security Won’t Be There for Them

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend