U.S. House Committees Investigate Growing Use of Chinese AI Models by Airbnb, Cursor, Coinbase

Two U.S. House Committees launched a joint investigation in April into the growing adoption of Chinese artificial intelligence models by American companies. The House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Select Committee on China cited concerns that cheaper Chinese AI models—which are closing the performance gap with U.S. alternatives—pose cybersecurity and national security risks.

Companies including Cursor, Airbnb, and crypto platform Coinbase have been identified as using or evaluating Chinese-developed models. The State Department told CNBC that such models "are designed to advance Beijing's narratives, censor dissent, and reflect CCP ideology and values." While some government agencies have banned Chinese AI models like DeepSeek, private sector adoption remains legal, though facing increasing legislative scrutiny.