According to Sawyer Merritt, major automakers have formally requested Washington to prevent Chinese government-backed automakers and battery manufacturers from establishing manufacturing plants in the United States, emphasizing that the industry's future is at risk if Chinese firms leverage advanced AI-driven manufacturing to gain a foothold (source: Reuters via Sawyer Merritt). This move highlights concerns about the rapid deployment of AI-powered automation, smart battery tech, and supply chain optimization by Chinese companies, which could disrupt the U.S. automotive AI ecosystem and threaten domestic innovation leadership. For U.S. AI providers and auto-tech firms, this development signals both increased demand for competitive AI solutions and potential opportunities in safeguarding domestic intellectual property, localizing AI supply chains, and developing advanced AI compliance tools for regulatory protection.