Josh Rogin: the "China will win" argument against AI regulation "isn't true"
Lead Global Security Analyst, The Washington Post
“This idea that if we regulate AI, that China will win, is not true. And the way that we know that is because China regulates AI. They have the most regulation of their AI than any country in the world... So the tech bros in the U.S. that say if we regulate AI, the Chinese going to win - that's a self-serving argument. That isn't true.”
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Josh Rogin's own video clip posted to his X account, in which he argues China's own heavy AI regulation disproves the argument that U.S. regulation would let China win the AI race.
Before the quotation
Posted to X on September 18, 2026.
After the quotation
Rogin distinguished Chinese AI regulation, which he said is meant to protect the Communist Party, from U.S. regulation aimed at protecting privacy, data, and democracy.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Should Washington impose stronger safeguards on frontier AI?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case's fixed reference point is the proposition that Washington should impose stronger safeguards on frontier AI. Rogin directly rebuts the competitiveness objection to that proposition -- the same 'China will win' argument Nancy Mace used to reject safeguards in this case -- and argues U.S. regulation is compatible with staying ahead of China, supporting the case proposition.
- Recorded on
- Published here
Should Washington impose stronger safeguards on frontier AI?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
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