SCMP Economy2 hours agoTech1 min readChina

Chen Warns AI Is a New Geopolitical Battleground for Major Powers

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Chen of China's Cyberspace Administration warned AI has become a strategic rivalry arena among major powers, posing risks to ideological security and critical infrastructure, citing US-led models like Claude Mythos and GPT-5.5-Cyber as lowering cyberattack thresholds.

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Why It Matters

Chen wrote for China Cyberspace, a journal run by the Cyberspace Administration of China, warning that AI has become a strategic rivalry arena among major powers.

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Chen underscored Beijing’s view of the technology as a key geopolitical battleground. AI has become “a new arena for strategic rivalry among major powers”, he wrote for China Cyberspace, a journal run by internet watchdog body the Cyberspace Administration of China.

The article was published on the journal’s social media account on Sunday.

Chen called for maintaining security boundaries while seizing new opportunities as he highlighted the risks of AI development.

AI could have a systemic impact on ideological security, he warned, including being “leveraged by hostile forces” to generate rumours and mass-produce harmful information.

The technology also posed serious risks to critical information infrastructure, Chen warned, arguing that advances marked by next-generation US-led models such as Anthropic’s Claude Mythos and OpenAI’s GPT-5.5-Cyber could significantly lower the technical threshold and costs of executing cyberattacks.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

China will implement stricter AI security boundaries to counter perceived threats from US-led models
Likely · Within months

Open Questions

What specific actions does China plan to take in response to US-led AI advances?
How will China define and enforce 'security boundaries' in AI development?
What evidence supports the claim that models like Claude Mythos and GPT-5.5-Cyber lower cyberattack thresholds?