US-China: Crucial AI Dialogue in Beijing

The United States and China are preparing to begin official discussions on artificial intelligence, a topic that could be addressed during the summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, scheduled for May 14 and 15 in Beijing. This initiative, reported by the Wall Street Journal, marks a significant step in the relations between the two global powers.

On the American side, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is leading the discussions. In response, China has appointed Vice Minister of Finance Liao Min to participate in these exchanges. The two countries are considering holding regular meetings to address several major concerns.

Among the discussion topics are the risks associated with the unpredictable behavior of AI models, the development of autonomous weapon systems, and the threats posed by non-state actors using open-source tools. These discussions aim to establish guidelines for managing these potential risks.

A first round of discussions on AI was initiated in 2023 under President Joe Biden, but it did not yield concrete results. Rush Doshi, who led these negotiations, emphasized that the involvement of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, rather than a technical agency, limited the effectiveness of the discussions.

However, in 2024, an agreement was reached that decisions regarding the use of nuclear weapons must remain under human control and not be delegated to AI. A direct line on AI between the American and Chinese governments is also under discussion, which could enhance future communication and cooperation.