Startup founders urge Trump not to shut off Chinese open weight AI

Politico reports that a group of US startup founders are lobbying the Trump administration not to ban or cut off Chinese open weight AI models. Their core argument: a ban won't stop Chinese labs from releasing weights, it will only block US developers from using the free option. The article does not name the specific startups involved or disclose whether a draft ban already exists inside the White House.

Why it matters: Politico exclusive on US founders lobbying Trump not to ban Chinese open-weight models. The topic has policy sensitivity and community resonance, but the report lacks named companies or draft details, so it lands right at the featured threshold.