TEMPO.CO, Washington D.C. - The latest document from U.S. Department of Defense revealed that the United States Government has increasingly monitored Chinese investment capital flowing into American companies working in the field of artificial intelligence.

As Reuters revealed, the document proposed a heightened level of monitoring to be done against China. The document suggested that China is highly likely to obtain access towards sensitive technology through investment deals unmonitored by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

The deals mostly refer to China’s investment in venture capitals and startup companies.

A Pentagon official, through the document, highlighted China’s particular interest in fields regarding artificial intelligence and machine learning in recent years. The US worries that cutting-edge technologies developed in the United States could be used by China to bolster its military capabilities.

The statement explained in the report was confirmed by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis who spoke to the US Senate at a hearing on Tuesday. He says that the role of CFIUS needs to be updated to deal with current situations.

Republican Senator John Cornyn has begun drafting legislation that would empower CFIUS in order to hinder a number of technological investments.

A congressional aide said that artificial intelligence is one of many technologies that is being pursued by China which has a potential military application.

The legislation would force CFIUS to strengthen its monitoring towards buyers that originate from countries that are identified as a potential threat towards US national security.

REUTERS | AMRI MAHBUB