Beijing says China, US should work together to promote AI governance

China and the United States have agreed to cooperate on artificial intelligence governance, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stating on Tuesday that both nations 'should work together to promote the development and governance of AI.' The call for collaboration follows discussions between President Xi Jinping and former US President Donald Trump during their Beijing summit last week, where they agreed to establish an intergovernmental dialogue on AI. The move comes amid deepening rivalry over AI advancements, including accusations from the White House that Chinese entities are engaging in 'industrial-scale' theft of US technology. Despite these tensions, both sides have expressed mutual concerns over autonomous AI weapons, cybersecurity risks, and potential AI-designed bioweapons. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previously confirmed plans for a structured protocol to prevent non-state actors from accessing advanced AI models. Analysts suggest the new dialogue may expand beyond previous discussions in 2024, where Xi and former US President Joe Biden agreed to maintain human control over nuclear weapons. Sun Chenghao, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University, noted that topics could include sharing best practices on managing AI’s societal impact, such as youth employment, while avoiding contentious issues like US chip exports in separate talks. The push for cooperation follows recent incidents, including Anthropic’s decision to withhold its powerful AI model Mythos from public release to prevent hacking risks. Bessent emphasized the need for structured dialogue to address these threats, stating that the 'two AI superpowers are going to start talking.' However, challenges remain, as Beijing has blocked acquisitions like Meta’s purchase of a Chinese-developed AI tool, highlighting the complex dynamics of US-China relations in the tech sector.