The Importance of US Leadership in Open-Source AI Development
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July 1, 2025 By: Joseph F. Dunford, Frances F. Townsend, and Michael J. Morell
The US must lead in both open- and closed-source AI to counter China’s authoritarian tech and safeguard global norms.
The United States is in a race it cannot afford to lose. China is rapidly gaining ground in artificial intelligence (AI), utilizing open-source models to disseminate powerful, low-cost AI systems rooted in authoritarian values globally. These models aren’t just competing – they’re starting to win, and if left unchecked, they could become the foundation of the world’s digital infrastructure. To protect our national security, economic future, and democratic ideals, the United States must ensure that it leads in both open- and closed-source AI development.
China’s Open-Source AI Models Are Surpassing US Benchmarks
China’s AI gains aren’t just hypothetical. Its open-source models now rival or outperform top US systems. Alibaba’s Qwen 2.5 has beaten leading American models on key benchmarks, while DeepSeek’s open-source R1 made headlines earlier this year and is expected to be followed soon by an even more advanced R2 model. These breakthroughs are no accident: they’re part of China’s national strategy to become a global tech leader and spread censorship-driven AI across the globe. As the US Intelligence Community 2025 Threat Assessment warns, China aims to dominate AI by 2030, with its tech sector projected to drive nearly a quarter of its economy by 2026.
The US Must Strengthen Both Closed and Open-Source AI to Compete Globally
To counter the adoption of models like DeepSeek across the world, the United States must offer accessible alternatives that are powerful, low-cost, and – critically – underpinned by American values.
Many of the best-known US large language models – such as Anthropic’s Claude, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Google’s Gemini – were developed as closed models, meaning their underlying technology remains proprietary. The benefits of these models include control of how the technology is used and deployed. Closed models also protect confidential intellectual property (IP), algorithms, and data from theft or misuse, including from foreign adversaries.
But the US can’t win the innovation race on only a few of its battlefronts. We must also focus on bolstering American open-source AI, where models like Meta’s Llama freely share their source code and operating details directly with users and businesses. This approach broadens access to AI technology, promotes faster innovation, and accelerates AI adoption built on US technology. Without this strong US-led AI ecosystem of both open and closed models, allied nations and businesses are more likely to adopt cheaper Chinese-built AI, embedding authoritarian values and security vulnerabilities into global infrastructure.
Beijing-Backed AI Models Spread Propaganda and Expose Users to Serious Security Threats
The dangers of widespread adoption of Beijing-backed AI models are clear. These models censor content and promote misleading information aligned with the CCP’s political agenda. As these models are increasingly integrated into popular apps and search tools, they pose a serious risk: unsuspecting users in Western countries may unknowingly accept manipulated information as fact, distorting public understanding and undermining sound decision-making. As a recent report by the Lexington Institute warns, Chinese firms are systematically “exporting AI models that embed censorship and propaganda mechanisms into widely used applications worldwide, giving China the ability to influence narratives and restrict free speech in key digital spaces.”
An even more immediate danger lies in the security vulnerabilities. Chinese models like DeepSeek have weak safeguards, opening the door for cyberattacks and facilitating jailbreaks that allow harmful content, including instructions for malware attacks and extremist propaganda. US models undergo rigorous testing to prevent jailbreaking, limiting the potential of bad actors exploiting AI to conduct illicit activities. Experts also warn that DeepSeek and other Chinese AI models could potentially compromise confidential and trade secret information, due to keystroke logging and other privacy protection weaknesses.
Sustained US Investment in Open-Source AI Is Key to Innovation and Strategic Advantage
US leadership in open-source AI development also helps promote innovation in America and other allied nations by ensuring universities, research organizations, and increasingly AI-dependent businesses have the necessary tools to conduct cutting-edge research and drive efficiencies without developing dependency on cheaper Chinese models. As argued by Ben Brooks, the head of public policy for Stability AI, increased availability of open-source models will allow small-scale developers to create competitive new AI applications, empowering them to launch ventures without needing to invest the capital to build a model from scratch.
The best defense to a China-led digital ecosystem is a good offense. The United States has a slight current advantage on both closed and open-source AI, but our lead is not guaranteed and is rapidly narrowing. The US must invest in it, shape its development, regulate based on real rather than hypothetical risk, and use it to strategic advantage against China’s ambitions. If the United States takes its foot off the gas now, it won’t just forfeit AI dominance—it will empower China to dictate the rules of a new digital world order.
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