China-Linked Actors Expand AI Theft Tactics as 50% of State-Backed Tech Intrusions Hit U.S. Targets
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Jun 30
China-Linked Actors Expand AI Theft Tactics as 50% of State-Backed Tech Intrusions Hit U.S. Targets
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Jun 30
Summary
CrowdStrike said Chinese entities accounted for more than half of state-sponsored intrusions targeting technology companies and their AI assets in the 12 months through March 31.
Researchers and executives said the activity is shifting beyond pure hacking toward human exploitation—targeting new hires, supply chains and product roadmaps—to help narrow China’s estimated three- to four-month AI gap with the U.S.
Recent allegations span Anthropic’s claims of illicit attempts by Chinese companies to steal AI capabilities and Agentiq Capital’s FBI complaint that a China-hired employee sabotaged code and website content; CNBC could not independently verify the latter.
Startups appear especially exposed because limited budgets create “cyber poverty lines,” while Beijing is also backing domestic AI firms with subsidized computing and rent-free office space, raising pressure in the U.S.-China AI race.
While China steals US AI to win the tech race, how do its internal job loss fears secretly guide its strategy?
Is the feud between the US government and its own AI giants a greater threat than Chinese cyber espionage?
Can an AI firm sued for data piracy credibly lead the charge for ethical AI against foreign IP theft?
266% Surge in China’s AI Espionage: The Battle Over U.S. Frontier Model Security and Global Tech Dominance
Overview
China's AI espionage campaigns are rapidly escalating, posing a major threat to U.S. artificial intelligence technology. These efforts involve industrial-scale attempts to extract capabilities from leading U.S. AI models, with a sharp rise in sophisticated attacks targeting cloud environments. In 2025, state-linked actors increased their focus on cloud intelligence collection by 266%, leading to a 37% overall rise in cloud-related intrusions. The North American IT sector has been hit hardest, suffering the majority of these attacks and accounting for nearly half of extortion victims. This aggressive activity highlights the growing strategic competition in global AI development.