There are growing concerns in the United States that China may be deploying artificial intelligence to surveil Americans on a scale previously unthinkable. A leading business newspaper, the Wall Street Journal, reports on this heightened risk and the conversations it has sparked among U.S. intelligence and law enforcement communities.
The FBI and other agencies reportedly fear that Beijing could leverage artificial intelligence to collect and store data on American citizens in ways that surpass past capabilities. The implications of such tech-driven data collection touch on privacy, security, and national integrity, prompting urgent discussions about how to detect, deter, and respond to potential threats.
The concern grew so acute that last year senior officials from the FBI and leaders of Western intelligence convened a high-level meeting with experts from the tech and cyber security sectors to address the evolving landscape. The goal was to better understand how rapid advances in AI might enable new forms of information gathering and reconnaissance, and to coordinate a response across federal agencies and allied partners.
According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials believe Chinese authorities could use collected personal data to identify American spies and to monitor officials within the White House. This underscores the potential for AI-enabled surveillance to extend beyond ordinary citizens to high-level government actors and sensitive institutions, raising strategic concerns about protection and resilience.
FBI Director Christopher Wray was quoted as saying that adversaries are attempting to harness artificial intelligence to carry out large-scale hacking operations, leveraging U.S. technologies against the nation. The statement highlights a dual risk: the misuse of data and the exploitation of cyber capabilities to compromise national security infrastructure.
In related incidents, Taiwan has already brought charges against several individuals connected to spying efforts tied to China, including active and retired military personnel. These charges illustrate ongoing, cross-border espionage pressures and the careful balancing of intelligence gathering with legal and ethical boundaries across jurisdictions.
Additionally, Britain has publicly accused China of recruiting officers for espionage, reflecting a broader pattern of concern among Western allies about state-sponsored intelligence activities and the role of AI in modern spying. The convergence of technology and espionage is prompting governments to rethink safeguards, standards, and international cooperation to manage evolving threats.