The talks follow a number of steps by Beijing to keep homegrown AI within the country and underscore how China is now treating cutting-edge AI as a critical national asset that needs controls

Beijing has made a slew of moves in recent months to gatekeep its cutting edge and cost-efficient models.

China is considering tighter controls on overseas access to advanced AI models, balancing innovation, national security, and global AI competition.

Chinese authorities have held discussions with some of the country's biggest technology companies over the past month on restricting overseas access to China's most advanced…