Trump’s China rivalry and “AI race” delusion may endanger US, experts say

The US and China, as the leading global powers in artificial intelligence (AI), have commenced talks to establish a framework for responsible AI usage and maintain global safety against emerging risks. However, the success of these meetings between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping relies heavily on the extent of cooperation between the two nations, which have long been at odds.

It is evident that Trump desires to present the discussions in a positive light. Before their meeting on Thursday and Friday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin revealed that both parties had already discussed establishing a new AI safety notification mechanism. If China consents to participate, this would create an open channel for either side to send alerts about potential threats or unpredictable behavior from their respective AI systems. Furthermore, this channel could facilitate the countries sharing their "vision of common goals."

Nevertheless, the proposal arrives amid growing skepticism about China's willingness to trust the US with AI safety conversations that don't focus on curbing China's capabilities. President Trump has consistently strengthened export controls aimed at preventing China from accessing technology to enhance AI. Additionally, Congress is deliberating legislation that could deny China access to more advanced chips and hardware.

A recent twist in the escalating tensions occurred two weeks ago, when the US Justice Department accused six prominent Chinese AI firms of stealing intellectual property from US frontier labs, a claim China firmly denied.