{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/tech/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-fbi-said-copied-rival","slug":"us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-fbi-said-copied-rival","url":"https://mediabias.news/tech/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-fbi-said-copied-rival","title":"US government website used Chinese AI tool FBI said copied rival","subtitle":"Federal Register search function powered by Alibaba's Qwen model was removed after allegations of 'malicious' copying.","excerpt":"The Federal Register website used Alibaba's Qwen AI model for a search tool that allowed users to find proposed regulations. The FBI accused Alibaba of \"malicious\" copying of Anthropic's technology, leading to the tool's removal.","category":"Science & Tech","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-09-18T00:25:17.460Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-09-17T23:28:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-18T00:25:17.460Z","readTime":"2 min read","scores":{"trust":66,"critic":95,"hype":12,"notes":{"trust":"Trust 66: named officials, FBI attribution, specific date, and Reuters‑reviewed source‑code document support facts.","critic":"Critic 95: explains relevance, quotes multiple stakeholders, separates facts from comment, provides dates and next steps.","hype":"Hype 12: language is measured; no clickbait or exaggerated claims."}},"tags":["#AI","#CyberSecurity","#USChinaRelations","#Alibaba","#FederalRegister"],"entities":["Alibaba","Qwen AI model","Federal Register","FBI","Anthropic","Chinese embassy"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["The Federal Register website used Alibaba's Qwen AI model to power a search tool for proposed regulations.","The FBI accused Alibaba of \"malicious\" copying of technology from US company Anthropic.","The Qwen-powered search tool was taken down on 16 September 2026.","The Chinese embassy described the copying allegations as \"unfounded.\""]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Federal Register website, which is run by the National Archives, used Alibaba's Qwen AI model to allow users to search proposed federal regulations. The tool was available alongside other search options. The FBI accused Alibaba of \"malicious\" copying of technology from US rival Anthropic to build its own artificial intelligence tools. This accusation was made public last week, according to reports."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Qwen-powered search tool was removed from the Federal Register website on 16 September 2026, around the same time social media posts about its use appeared. Screenshots and archived source code reviewed by Reuters confirmed the takedown. The FBI declined to comment on the allegations. The Chinese embassy in Washington stated that the copying allegations were \"unfounded.\""},{"type":"heading","text":"Disagreement on when the tool was deployed"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Business Times reported that the search tool using Alibaba's Qwen model was available on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, but it was unclear when it was deployed. Other reports state the Qwen-powered search was taken down on Wednesday, 16 September 2026."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the centre-rated or right-rated reports mention the FBI's broader claim that Chinese AI companies are engaged in \"malicious\" copying of US technology on an \"industrial scale.\""}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"tech360tv","url":"https://tech360.tv/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-model","headline":"US Government Website Used Chinese AI Model","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-18T01:10:16.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Devdiscourse","url":"https://devdiscourse.com/article/technology/3978710-controversy-over-us-use-of-chinese-ai-model-in-federal-registry","headline":"Controversy Over US Use of Chinese AI Model in Federal Registry","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-18T00:00:39.201Z"},{"sourceName":"The Straits Times","url":"https://straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic","headline":"US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-17T23:46:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Investing.com","url":"https://investing.com/news/world-news/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic-4906313","headline":"US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-17T23:28:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Business Times","url":"https://businesstimes.com.sg/international/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-china-fbi-said-copied-anthropic","headline":"US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-17T23:26:50.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Daily Sabah","url":"https://dailysabah.com/business/economy/us-govt-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic","headline":"US govt website used Chinese AI tool that FBI said copied Anthropic","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-17T22:02:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"WTVB","url":"https://wtvbam.com/2026/09/17/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic","headline":"US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-17T19:58:55.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Mighty 790 KFGO","url":"https://kfgo.com/2026/09/17/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic","headline":"US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-17T19:58:55.000Z"},{"sourceName":"WKZO","url":"https://wkzo.com/2026/09/17/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic","headline":"US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-17T19:58:55.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Market Screener","url":"https://marketscreener.com/news/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic-ce785bd3de8ef727","headline":"US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-17T19:54:19.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Reuters","url":"https://reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic-2026-09-17","headline":"US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-17T00:00:00.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":0,"centre":60,"right":40},"count":{"left":0,"centre":6,"right":4},"totalSources":11,"untracked":1,"rated":10,"observedAt":"2026-09-18T01:54:55.201Z"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-09-18T02:15:19.742Z","closedAt":null,"checks":8,"changes":0,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":[],"centre":["Centre-rated reports led with the FBI's accusation that Alibaba engaged in \"malicious\" copying of Anthropic's technology. 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