{
  "id": 1318376,
  "title": "US to tell partners they must pick sides in AI race with China",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/us-to-tell-partners-they-must-pick-sides-in-ai-race-with-china-1318376",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-16T17:55:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Economic Times Tech",
    "slug": "economic-times-tech",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/artificial-intelligence/us-to-tell-partners-they-must-pick-sides-in-ai-race-with-china/articleshow/133280365.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United States is preparing to inform numerous countries that they must select a side in the artificial intelligence (AI) competition against China, according to a US official and internal draft reviewed by Reuters. The warning states that nations participating in a US-led AI coalition, known as Pax Silica, will be excluded if they also join China's competing framework. The State Department drafted a letter for 35 signatories of the US AI Opportunity Statement signed in June, which includes non-binding Pax Silica framework members and other countries interested in aligning AI cooperation with Washington. The letter urges these countries to choose deliberately between the two initiatives, as their goals conflict with each other. Kazakhstan is the only country known to have joined both initiatives, raising concerns in Washington. The letter emphasizes that a country cannot credibly be a trusted partner in one technology ecosystem while simultaneously joining an initiative designed by China to promote a competing AI vision.",
  "summary": "By pressing countries to choose sides the US hopes to starve China of resources in a race to make the most sophisticated AI, which could be used for military or economic dominance. In July, Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a rival \"World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization\", promoting his country's open-weight technology as a challenge to US influence over the fast-moving sector.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "US to tell partners they must pick sides in AI race with China",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/us-to-tell-partners-they-must-pick-sides-in-ai-race-with-china",
        "published": "2026-08-16T00:10:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}