Security experts warn that foreign spies and fake job applicants are already embedded inside leading AI companies, quietly feeding sensitive technology back to countries like China.

• Insiders claim whatever breakthroughs US AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic achieve, China quickly gets too, partly through Chinese nationals working inside these companies.
• Companies say outside actors are using fake resumes, bots, and deepfake video calls (many traced to North Korea) to land jobs and get inside access.
• Hiring teams are often too focused on checking skill boxes and not trained to catch espionage risks until it's too late.
• The US is seen as an easy target because it wants to stay open and welcoming, while rival nations treat stealing US tech as normal and expected.
• There's currently no real oversight or reporting system for employees who get paid by foreign governments or entities, leaving a gap bad actors can exploit.

Outlook: Expect little real change until a major espionage incident forces the government to create new oversight rules for AI companies, similar to how 9/11 led to the Patriot Act.