Washington has accused Chinese AI firms of using model distillation -- a technique widely employed across the industry to make systems smaller and cheaper -- and framed it as a "national security threat," a claim the companies involved have already denied.

From economy to technology, U.S. competition with China is frequently cast in security terms -- a familiar refrain that often appears thinly evidenced and increasingly resembles a default response to narrowing gaps rather than a targeted assessment.

The technique itself has not changed. What has changed is how it is defined and how that definition is used to shape the race.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service