AI policy overreaction could weaken U.S. leadership

CSET authors William Hannas and Huey-Meei Chang argue that U.S. responses to AI security and governance concerns could unintentionally weaken American technological leadership.

• The commentary warns that export controls, safety regulations, antitrust measures, and infrastructure restrictions may each be defensible alone but could cumulatively constrain U.S. AI development, market entry, and innovation.
• It cites China’s August 2025 Artificial Intelligence+ initiative, NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework, and a 2025 FTC report as examples of the broader policy and competitive landscape shaping AI governance.