--- title: "US government website used Chinese AI tool FBI said copied rival" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/tech/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-fbi-said-copied-rival" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-fbi-said-copied-rival" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/tech/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-fbi-said-copied-rival.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-fbi-said-copied-rival" category: "Science & Tech" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-18T00:25:17.460Z" source_reported: "2026-09-17T23:28:00.000Z" updated: "2026-09-18T00:25:17.460Z" trust_score: 66 critic_score: 95 hype_score: 12 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-18T01:54:55.201Z" --- # US government website used Chinese AI tool FBI said copied rival *Federal Register search function powered by Alibaba's Qwen model was removed after allegations of 'malicious' copying.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 66 of 100, higher is better. Trust 66: named officials, FBI attribution, specific date, and Reuters‑reviewed source‑code document support facts. - Craft 95 of 100, higher is better. Critic 95: explains relevance, quotes multiple stakeholders, separates facts from comment, provides dates and next steps. - Hype 12 of 100, lower is better. Hype 12: language is measured; no clickbait or exaggerated claims. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - 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." 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. 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." ## Disagreement on when the tool was deployed 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. ## What the coverage left out 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." ## Who covered it Shares of the 10 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 60% (6) - Right: 40% (4) 1 of 11 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-18T01:54:55.201Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 8 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-18T02:15:19.742Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports led with the FBI's accusation that Alibaba engaged in "malicious" copying of Anthropic's technology. These reports stated that the Federal Register website used Alibaba's Qwen AI model for a search tool. They noted the tool's subsequent removal on 16 September 2026. The Chinese embassy's denial of the allegations was also included. ### Right - Right-rated reports highlighted the FBI's accusation that Alibaba engaged in "malicious" copying of US technology, specifically Anthropic's models, to develop its own AI tools. These reports identified the Federal Register website as the entity that used Alibaba's Qwen AI model for a search function. The removal of the tool on 16 September 2026 was also mentioned, as was the Chinese embassy's statement calling the allegations "unfounded." **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 2 - high: 6 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [tech360tv](https://tech360.tv/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-model) — US Government Website Used Chinese AI Model - [Devdiscourse](https://devdiscourse.com/article/technology/3978710-controversy-over-us-use-of-chinese-ai-model-in-federal-registry) — Controversy Over US Use of Chinese AI Model in Federal Registry - [The Straits Times](https://straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic) — US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic - [Investing.com](https://investing.com/news/world-news/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic-4906313) — US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic - [Business Times](https://businesstimes.com.sg/international/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-china-fbi-said-copied-anthropic) — US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic - [Daily Sabah](https://dailysabah.com/business/economy/us-govt-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic) — US govt website used Chinese AI tool that FBI said copied Anthropic - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/09/17/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic) — US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic - [The Mighty 790 KFGO](https://kfgo.com/2026/09/17/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic) — US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic - [WKZO](https://wkzo.com/2026/09/17/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic) — US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic - [Market Screener](https://marketscreener.com/news/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-from-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic-ce785bd3de8ef727) — US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic - [Reuters](https://reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-government-website-used-ai-search-tool-china-that-fbi-said-copied-anthropic-2026-09-17) — US government website used AI search tool from China that FBI said copied Anthropic ## Questions **What was the Federal Register website using Alibaba's AI for?** The Federal Register website used Alibaba's Qwen AI model to power a search tool. This tool allowed users to search for proposed federal regulations and public comments. **Why was the AI search tool removed?** The tool was removed on 16 September 2026, following accusations by the FBI that Alibaba had engaged in "malicious" copying of technology from US company Anthropic to build its own AI models. **What was China's response to the allegations?** A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington stated that the allegations of copying made by the FBI were "unfounded." --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/tech/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-fbi-said-copied-rival. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "US government website used Chinese AI tool FBI said copied rival", https://mediabias.news/tech/us-government-website-used-chinese-ai-tool-fbi-said-copied-rival