Top executives from OpenAI, Microsoft, and AMD warned U.S. lawmakers on Thursday that the country risks losing its lead in artificial intelligence to China unless it expands infrastructure, loosens AI chip export restrictions, and strengthens workforce training. Their testimony before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by Senator Ted Cruz, emphasized the urgent need for pro-growth AI policies to counter China’s rapid advancements.
The call to action follows China’s DeepSeek AI breakthrough last year and Huawei’s rollout of advanced AI chips, both of which have shaken Washington’s confidence in maintaining AI dominance.
“The number-one factor that will define whether the U.S. or China wins this race is whose technology is most broadly adopted in the rest of the world,” said Brad Smith, President of Microsoft. He added that Microsoft has banned internal use of DeepSeek due to data privacy and propaganda concerns.
“The lesson from Huawei and 5G is that whoever gets there first will be difficult to supplant.”
Key Takeaways from the Senate Hearing:
-
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the need for massive infrastructure investment, including data centers and power generation, to fuel AI’s growth.
-
AMD CEO Lisa Su highlighted the importance of maintaining competitiveness in AI chip design while also ensuring export flexibility.
-
Smith called for broader AI education, R&D funding, and skilled labor development, including more electricians for AI facilities.
The tech industry is pushing back against Biden-era AI export rules that aimed to limit China’s access to powerful AI chips. In response, the Trump administration is preparing to rescind those curbs and replace them with a new framework — a move praised by Cruz, Altman, and Su during the session.
“The Biden administration’s misguided midnight AI diffusion rule on chips and model weights would have crippled American tech companies’ ability to sell AI to the world,” Cruz said.
China’s DeepSeek, based in Hangzhou, made waves by launching a powerful, cost-effective AI model competitive with OpenAI and Meta — a move that intensified pressure on U.S. lawmakers to act quickly.
Meanwhile, Huawei is preparing to mass-ship advanced AI chips to Chinese customers despite ongoing U.S. trade restrictions.
With national security, economic leadership, and technological supremacy at stake, AI executives stressed that global market penetration—not just technical capability—will determine who wins the AI race.
