Will China Crack Down on Open-Weight Models? | TechPolicy.Press
China is embracing open models while placing equal emphasis on security and control. It has not yet decided how it will strike a balance, writes Graham Webster.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, waves as he arrives at the opening ceremony for the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool) Ever since DeepSeek surprised the world with a capable, open-weight reasoning model in January 2025, observers have speculated that China’s government will eventually force a more closed AI ecosystem. Open weights means anyone with access to the needed computing power can download and use the model however they like, including for cyber attacks or other malign purposes. Yet the open releases have kept coming. Today,…
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