US risks ceding AI governance leadership to China and the EU
Standing alongside prominent technology executives, US President Donald Trump announced a voluntary agreement under which major artificial intelligence (AI) companies will use internal controls and monitoring, outside audits and board oversight to manage risks. The White House calls the commitments “morally binding”, but the accord does not create a comparable system of legal enforcement. The…
The United States risks losing its leadership role in artificial intelligence (AI) governance to China and the European Union, according to US President Donald Trump's voluntary agreement with major AI companies. This agreement does not create a legal enforcement system, relying instead on internal controls, monitoring, outside audits, and board oversight.
While understandable, given AI's economic and military significance, this approach leaves other nations to decide how to govern AI with international consequences. Europe imposes binding obligations on AI providers, while China combines domestic regulation with an effort to influence the global discussion. Beijing's 2025 Global AI Governance Action Plan emphasizes international cooperation and proposes the World AI Cooperation Organisation, officially established in July 2026.
The US should consider adopting common terminology, testing procedures, incident reporting mechanisms, cybersecurity cooperation, and reliable channels for communication on border-crossing AI events. The UN has formed an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI to assess the technology's impacts. The US should not merely copy Europe's AI Act or China's model but instead shape international rules for AI, leveraging its technological leadership and influence.
Written by urgent.news from SCMP Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
