AI rivalry overshadows push for guardrails at Xi-Trump talks: experts
AI rivalry overshadows push for guardrails at Xi-Trump talks: experts
Publish Date: 2026-05-12 23:28:00
Source Domain: www.digitaljournal.com
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Shared Concerns: Despite fierce rivalry, both the US and China share mutual concerns regarding the risks artificial intelligence poses, including potential use in bioweapons or hacking national infrastructure.
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Rivalry and Technology Theft: The White House has accused Chinese entities of stealing US technology related to artificial intelligence at an industrial scale. In response, China blocked a US tech giant’s acquisition of a Chinese-founded AI tool.
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Need for Cooperation: Policy experts underscore the need for discussions between the US and China on containing AI risks, envisioning measures like a de-escalation hotline in case of an AI crisis.
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Competitive Advances: China has set out to narrow the US’s lead in AI technology, investing in its AI chip industry, while the US restricts Chinese access to advanced AI-related hardware like cutting-edge chips from companies such as Nvidia.
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Historical Parallels: In 2024, President Xi Jinping agreed with Joe Biden on the importance of humans maintaining control over nuclear weapons, suggesting a potential foundation for future AI collaboration.
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Catastrophic Risks: The potential for AI to be exploited to develop biological weapons or to threaten national cybersecurity underscores the need for international cooperation and robust commitments on AI safety.
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Intertwined Supply Chains: Despite tensions, the talent, capital, and supply chains underpinning AI are deeply interconnected between the US and China, making full decoupling unrealistic in the near term.
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Strategic Summit: President Trump’s summit with President Xi in Beijing may yield a commitment to shelve the most contentious issues while establishing “rule-based tracks” on points of cooperation. However, fierce competition in sectors like AI chips is expected to continue.
