The debate over the degree to which the US federal government should control access to cutting-edge API tools is now heating up. There is a growing awareness of how powerful these new tools are, but little agreement on how they should be controlled. AI proponents say that bans and implementations would hurt the US in its efforts to stay ahead of China in the geopolitical AI race. Administration officials and advisers are attempting to balance innovation and security while addressing safety risks in the most minimally invasive way possible.