U.S. Startups Express Opposition to Blocking Chinese AI Models

▲ Moonshot's booth at a Chinese AI conference

As Moonshot AI's latest open-weight AI model, Kimi K3, draws significant attention, U.S. startups and small-to-medium tech companies have expressed their opposition to plans to block access to Chinese open-weight models.

The Little Tech Association, a recently formed coalition of U.S. small and mid-sized tech companies, sent a letter on the 22nd (local time) to President Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), urging the government not to block access to Chinese open-weight AI models.

They also warned that such regulations could hinder the growth of the next generation of American startups.

The association includes about 200 Silicon Valley companies, including Proton, the Swiss encrypted email service known for its security, and Y Combinator, the prominent startup incubator and investment firm.

U.S. media outlet Politico noted that this letter marks the first time Silicon Valley's influential startup community has systematically taken a stance on the Trump administration's most prominent AI policies.

In the letter, they argued, "American leadership requires two things: first, world-class American open-weight models, and second, continued access for U.S. developers to open-weight models that are already globally available."

They also emphasized that banning downloads of Chinese open-weight models would not stop their proliferation, and instead of a blanket ban, targeted protective measures should be adopted.

Suhail Doshi, founder of AI infrastructure startup Particle and a member of the association, said in an interview with Politico, "If access to Chinese open-weight models is banned, hundreds of companies will shut their doors overnight," adding, "That would be great for Anthropic, and we should all just invest in Anthropic."

The White House has not yet provided a clear response on the matter.

White House Spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement, "The United States leads the world in AI innovation, and President Trump will ensure it stays that way," adding, "The Trump administration is further accelerating innovation to widen the gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world."

Politico, citing anonymous sources, reported that the issue was discussed among senior White House officials and cabinet members on the night of the 20th, but a total ban on Chinese open-weight models was not seriously considered.

Harry Godfrey, Executive Director of the Little Tech Association, said, "The government should use a scalpel rather than a sledgehammer," adding, "It is important to find the most delicate approach that legitimately addresses security concerns without increasing costs, restricting accessibility, or stifling innovation by American companies."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)

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