Cerebras CEO Andrew Feldman has claimed that China's centralised government is giving Beijing an advantage in a key part of the artificial intelligence (AI) race. The US decentralized system of local, state, and federal regulations creates obstacles for AI-related infrastructure projects, particularly in energy production and data center development. In an interview with Business Insider, the chief executive of the US-based AI training chip maker Feldman said China has been able to build extensive power infrastructure through central decision-making, including constructing dams, burning coal, and investing in solar energy.
He said: “Our decentralised form of government has left us with sort of a patchwork of power infrastructures where even if the federal government wants to support you, their local regulations like at the city and county level of towns that can interfere with a project and set a project back, billions of dollars.
I think they have been able to, at a national level, stand up vast amounts of power, and they've done it by building massive dams, by burning coal, by doubling down on solar. But they have put together an extraordinary power infrastructure, and I think the plan benefited from some form of central decision-making.
We have a fragmented political system, but there is no reason why we should have local ordinances interfering with the development of power projects, with the development of data centers, the very sort of things that power big AI deployments. There's no reason we should have a patchwork of AI regulations, meaning that each company, like Cerebras or OpenAI , has to think differently in each state; that's just a tax on innovation."
Feldman also suggested that US shouldn't try to simply copy China's approach, but rather find better ways to support AI investments through the existing system.
Cerebras CEO wants this AI bill to support companies
Feldman said a stay on state-level AI laws , similar to the one US senator Ted Cruz pushed unsuccessfully earlier this year, would be a helpful step. Cruz's initial policy, which was ultimately stripped out of US President Donald Trump 's "One Big Beautiful Bill," would have blocked state and local AI laws for a decade.
"I think maybe a 5-year moratorium would be a nice starting point with an option to renew on five. I think industry is moving fast; this market is moving unbelievably quickly. I think we should do things that advantage our AI companies, both large and small. I don't think it's enough to advantage just the largest,” Feldman added.
As an AI training chipmaker, Cerebras is also involved in the AI race.The company had planned to go public but last week formally filed to withdraw its IPO. Feldman has said that Cerebras still intends to go public but wants to update its filing.
He said: “Our decentralised form of government has left us with sort of a patchwork of power infrastructures where even if the federal government wants to support you, their local regulations like at the city and county level of towns that can interfere with a project and set a project back, billions of dollars.
I think they have been able to, at a national level, stand up vast amounts of power, and they've done it by building massive dams, by burning coal, by doubling down on solar. But they have put together an extraordinary power infrastructure, and I think the plan benefited from some form of central decision-making.
We have a fragmented political system, but there is no reason why we should have local ordinances interfering with the development of power projects, with the development of data centers, the very sort of things that power big AI deployments. There's no reason we should have a patchwork of AI regulations, meaning that each company, like Cerebras or OpenAI , has to think differently in each state; that's just a tax on innovation."
Feldman also suggested that US shouldn't try to simply copy China's approach, but rather find better ways to support AI investments through the existing system.
Cerebras CEO wants this AI bill to support companies
Feldman said a stay on state-level AI laws , similar to the one US senator Ted Cruz pushed unsuccessfully earlier this year, would be a helpful step. Cruz's initial policy, which was ultimately stripped out of US President Donald Trump 's "One Big Beautiful Bill," would have blocked state and local AI laws for a decade.
"I think maybe a 5-year moratorium would be a nice starting point with an option to renew on five. I think industry is moving fast; this market is moving unbelievably quickly. I think we should do things that advantage our AI companies, both large and small. I don't think it's enough to advantage just the largest,” Feldman added.
As an AI training chipmaker, Cerebras is also involved in the AI race.The company had planned to go public but last week formally filed to withdraw its IPO. Feldman has said that Cerebras still intends to go public but wants to update its filing.
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