EU Agencies Secretly Stress-Test Chinese Open-Weight AI on Air-Gapped Networks

ENISA and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre are quietly evaluating Chinese open-weight AI models on isolated, air-gapped infrastructure. The findings could shape EU AI Act enforcement against Chinese providers and determine which AI systems European critical infrastructure may use.

• ENISA is testing "a couple" of Chinese open-weight models on secure internal infrastructure
• The JRC is running a similar evaluation that also benchmarks US and European AI systems
• Air-gapped testing avoids China's 2017 National Intelligence Law, which compels firms to assist state intelligence work
• Neither agency has said when or whether findings will be published