In a statement made on Tuesday, Vice President J.D. Vance emphasized the commitment of the United States to protect its advancements in artificial intelligence and semiconductor technology. He asserted the intention to prevent attempts to “weaponize” these crucial technologies.

“Certain authoritarian governments have appropriated and utilized AI to enhance their military intelligence and surveillance functions, gather foreign data, and produce propaganda that threatens other countries’ national security,” Vance remarked at the AI Action Summit held in Paris, France.

“Let me be unequivocal: this administration will not allow these actions, point blank,” he continued. “We are dedicated to safeguarding American AI and chip innovations from theft and misuse while collaborating with our international partners to bolster and broaden these protections, thus denying adversaries access to AI technologies that endanger our citizens.”

The AI Action Summit has drawn attention to China’s AI model, DeepSeek, which claims to deliver performance comparable to OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model, albeit at a significantly reduced cost. While Vance refrained from specifically naming DeepSeek, he did highlight concerns regarding subsidized technology.

“We are all aware of the existence of inexpensive technologies in the market, which have been heavily subsidized and exported by authoritarian regimes,” he stated.

In a pointed remark directed at U.S. allies in attendance, Vance noted that partnering with such entities “never yields positive outcomes.” He stated that cooperation with these regimes effectively means “binding your nation to an authoritarian overlord that seeks to infiltrate and control your information infrastructure.”

Furthermore, Vance critiqued European leaders on Tuesday, asserting that they are overly preoccupied with regulating AI and implementing limitations rather than recognizing the opportunities and potential benefits of the technology’s growth.

Positioning the U.S. as a “leader” in AI, Vance expressed a desire for European partners to adopt a more supportive stance towards the technology than has been exhibited thus far.

“Just because we hold the leadership position doesn’t mean we wish or need to pursue this journey solo,” Vance stated, emphasizing that “America aims to collaborate with all of you, embarking on the forthcoming AI revolution with a spirit of openness and partnership.”

“However, to cultivate that trust, we require international regulatory frameworks that encourage the development of AI technologies rather than stifle them. We need our European allies in particular to approach this new frontier with optimism instead of hesitation.”

The European Union has taken a stringent approach to AI regulation, introducing pioneering legislation aimed at managing the risks associated with this technology. The EU’s landmark AI Act, which has recently begun enforcement, imposes stringent regulations and threatens substantial penalties for violations.

On Tuesday, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced that the EU will invest a total of 200 billion euros (approximately $206.5 billion) into AI initiatives within Europe, stressing that the competition for technological dominance is far from concluded between China and the U.S.