In Democratic Debate, Buttigieg, Yang Raise Concerns on Chinese Tech

addicted to smartphones or drugs.” He raised concerns about China's having a significant edge over the U.S. in artificial intelligence because of Chinese government investment. China “banned face masks in Hong Kong” because the government has “AI technology that now is using facial recognition to identify protesters … and detain them later,” Yang said. “This is the rivalry that we have to win where China is concerned. They're in the process of leapfrogging us in AI because they have more data than we do and their government is subsidizing it to the tune of tens of billions of dollars." The U.S. must “build an international coalition to set technology standards and then you can bring the Chinese to the table,” Yang said. Buttigieg said the U.S. should “acknowledge” China’s “use of technology for the perfection of dictatorship.” That “is going to require a stronger than ever response from the U.S. in defense of democracy, but when folks out there standing up for democracy hear not a peep from” President Donald Trump, “what message is that sending to the Chinese Communist Party?” Buttigieg asked. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., again berated Amazon. The tech giant “unites my three brothers,” who despite their conflicting political views “are furious that Amazon reported $10 billion in profits and paid zero in taxes,” Warren said. The company didn't comment Friday.