US lawmakers call for AI 'kill switch' as tech giants back open-source models
Major tech companies including Nvidia and Meta are lobbying US lawmakers to avoid strict regulations on open-source AI models. They argue that such restrictions would stifle innovation, while lawmakers consider 'kill switch' legislation following cybersecurity concerns.
Why it matters
The debate over open-source versus closed-source AI models is central to the future of global tech competition and national security policy.
Nvidia, Microsoft and other tech heavyweights have made a public case to lawmakers in favour of open-source AI models, wading into a debate roiling the business and policy worlds over who controls the powerful technology.
In a letter posted on X on Friday and also signed by two dozen companies and groups including Meta Platforms and IBM, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said lawmakers should avoid "premature restrictions on open models that stifle competition or drive innovation overseas".
The letter adds to the growing debate about open-source models that are harder to regulate, such as Nvidia's own and those released in recent weeks by Chinese labs, and the closed-source models controlled by specific companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
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