Chinese state media outlet China Daily has pushed back against Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's recent call to slow frontier AI development, suggesting the move is less about safety and more about competition. According to Tom's Hardware, the paper argues that Amodei's proposal is 'a response to Chinese competition,' as Chinese AI models are rapidly closing the gap with American labs.

The report reflects escalating geopolitical friction in AI, with each side accusing the other of prioritizing dominance over caution. While Amodei has framed his concerns around existential risks, China Daily's counter-narrative implies that such calls are strategic attempts to hinder China's progress.

This is a single-source story, so there's no independent verification of China Daily's claims. The source also notes that the paper's stance aligns with Beijing's broader push to position itself as a leader in AI development, despite international concerns about its own regulatory approach.