China’s Ministry of Commerce said model distillation is a common way for artificial intelligence models to learn from one another, responding to a U.S. cybersecurity notice concerning alleged distillation activities by Chinese AI companies against U.S. firms. A ministry spokesperson described distillation as a neutral technical method used across the global AI industry, including by American companies.
According to the spokesperson, the technique helps improve training efficiency and makes better use of human knowledge. The ministry said this has positive value for developing AI industries in different countries, unlocking the technology’s potential, narrowing development gaps, and extending benefits to developing countries and the broader public.
The spokesperson also accused the U.S. of applying a double standard. China, the ministry said, supports open-source development, openness, and shared cooperation in AI, and Chinese open-source models are available to companies worldwide, including U.S. firms. The spokesperson added that research reports from U.S. companies have themselves disclosed large-scale distillation of Chinese models. Against that backdrop, the ministry said Washington’s repeated accusations that Chinese companies engage in “industrial-scale” distillation mischaracterize an industry-standard practice as an attack.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said model distillation is a standard practice in artificial intelligence, pushing back against a U.S. cybersecurity notice tied to alleged distillation activities by Chinese AI companies targeting U.S. firms.
Ministry calls distillation a neutral technical method
In remarks from a ministry spokesperson, distillation was described as a common way for AI models to learn from each other and, in essence, a neutral technical method. The spokesperson said model companies around the world, including U.S. firms, use the approach.
The ministry said the method can improve learning efficiency for models and enable more efficient use of human knowledge. It added that the technique has positive significance for countries developing AI industries, releasing the potential of AI technology, narrowing development gaps, and extending benefits more broadly to developing countries and the public.
Beijing accuses Washington of a double standard
The spokesperson said the U.S. approach reflects a typical double standard. On artificial intelligence, China said it supports open-source development, openness, cooperation, and sharing. The ministry added that Chinese open-source models are available to global companies, including U.S. firms, and provide convenience for related model research and development.
The spokesperson also said research reports from U.S. companies have disclosed extensive distillation of Chinese models. At the same time, the ministry said the U.S. has repeatedly and unilaterally accused Chinese companies of conducting “industrial-scale” distillation, turning what it called a standard industry practice into what Washington describes as an attack. According to the spokesperson, that shows both U.S. anxiety and a double standard.
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