Washington's AI discussions are focused on beating China as part of a new Cold War, says Marc Andreessen
Hasan Chowdhury
Mon, July 24, 2023
Marc Andreessen made the comments on a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Vanity Fair
AI is shaping up to be a new Cold War with China, according to Marc Andreessen.
The Silicon Valley veteran discussed US policymakers' plans on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
It comes as regulators scramble to create rules to govern the technology.
Washington's leaders are determined that the US will beat China in a global race to dominate AI as a new Cold War takes shape, according to Marc Andreessen.
In a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the Silicon Valley investor and cofounder of VC firm a16z suggested his recent conversations with policymakers on AI have taken on a more competitive tone as soon as China is mentioned.
"The minute you open up the door and talk about China, and what China is going to do with AI, and what that's gonna mean in this new Cold War that we're in with China, it's a completely different conversation," he said.
Andreessen added that Washington's policymakers said not only do they need "American AI to succeed," but that they need to "beat the Chinese." The comments were first reported by Fortune.
The comments from Andreessen come as the ChatGPT-led rise of AI this year has left policymakers grappling with the potential harms posed by the technology and devising rules that govern its use.
Last week, tech leaders from a range of companies leading the AI charge, including OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Meta, signed a voluntary pledge at the White House to deliver safeguards for the development of AI.
However, Andreessen's comments suggest Washington is also keen to aggressively accelerate the development of AI as a means of maintaining an edge over China at a time when geopolitical tensions between the world's two largest superpowers are simmering over.
Andreessen said Beijing's leaders "view AI as a way to achieve population control" because "they're authoritarians."
During a recent trip to China, Elon Musk said he told Chinese leaders that an AI-led superintelligence in the future could have the power to overthrow the government.
Representatives for Andreessen did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment outside regular working hours.
AI is shaping up to be a new Cold War with China, according to Marc Andreessen.
The Silicon Valley veteran discussed US policymakers' plans on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
It comes as regulators scramble to create rules to govern the technology.
Washington's leaders are determined that the US will beat China in a global race to dominate AI as a new Cold War takes shape, according to Marc Andreessen.
In a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the Silicon Valley investor and cofounder of VC firm a16z suggested his recent conversations with policymakers on AI have taken on a more competitive tone as soon as China is mentioned.
"The minute you open up the door and talk about China, and what China is going to do with AI, and what that's gonna mean in this new Cold War that we're in with China, it's a completely different conversation," he said.
Andreessen added that Washington's policymakers said not only do they need "American AI to succeed," but that they need to "beat the Chinese." The comments were first reported by Fortune.
The comments from Andreessen come as the ChatGPT-led rise of AI this year has left policymakers grappling with the potential harms posed by the technology and devising rules that govern its use.
Last week, tech leaders from a range of companies leading the AI charge, including OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Meta, signed a voluntary pledge at the White House to deliver safeguards for the development of AI.
However, Andreessen's comments suggest Washington is also keen to aggressively accelerate the development of AI as a means of maintaining an edge over China at a time when geopolitical tensions between the world's two largest superpowers are simmering over.
Andreessen said Beijing's leaders "view AI as a way to achieve population control" because "they're authoritarians."
During a recent trip to China, Elon Musk said he told Chinese leaders that an AI-led superintelligence in the future could have the power to overthrow the government.
Representatives for Andreessen did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment outside regular working hours.
Steve Mollman
Sun, July 23, 2023
Marc Andreessen spends a lot of time in Washington, D.C. these days talking to policymakers about artificial intelligence. One thing the Silicon Valley venture capitalist has noticed: When it comes to A.I., he can have two conversations with the “exact same person” that “go very differently” depending on whether China is mentioned.
The first conversation, as he shared on an episode the Joe Rogan Experience released this week, is “generally characterized by the American government very much hating the tech companies right now and wanting to damage them in various ways, and the tech companies wanting to figure out how to fix that.”
Then there’s the second conversation, involving what China plans to do with A.I.
“It’s a completely different conversation,” said Andreessen, cofounder of the VC firm Andreessen Horowitz. “All of a sudden it’s like, ‘Oh well we need American A.I. to succeed, and we need American technology companies to succeed, and we need to beat the Chinese.’”
China, of course, has a vision for A.I. that many observers find unsettling.
“They view A.I. as a way to achieve population control,” said Andreessen. “They’re authoritarians. So the number one priority for the Chinese leadership is always that the Chinese population stay under control and not revolt or expect to be able to vote or whatever.”
While China wants to use A.I. for authoritarian control within its own borders, it also wants to export those capabilities to leaders in other nations, Andreessen continued. He noted that in the field of A.I. security cameras, for example, China has world-leading companies. “They’re really good at like sniffing out people walking down the street,” he said.
Andreessen noted many nations are deploying 5G networks using Chinese technology. On top of that infrastructure, he said, they can roll out China's A.I. authoritarian surveillance technology.
“What they pitch to the president or prime minister of country X is if you install our stuff you’ll be able to better control your population,” he said. “And of course a lot of people running a lot of countries would find the China model quite compelling.”
Back in America, he continued, “Once you start thinking in those terms. you realize that, actually, all these debates that are happening in the U.S. are interesting and maybe important, but there’s this other much bigger, I would argue more important, thing that’s happening—which is, what kind of world do we think we’re living in 50 years from now?”
In Washington, D.C., he said, “The minute you open up the door and talk about China, and what China is going to do with A.I., and what that’s gonna mean in this new Cold War that we’re in with China, it’s a completely different conversation…One of my hopes would be that people start thinking outside just our own borders and start thinking about the broader global implications of what’s happening.”
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
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