US and China face hurdles in AI cooperation, experts say

Why China rejected AI threat narratives

China's foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that narratives of threat, confrontation, and malicious competition only disrupt the global AI governance process and serve no one's interest. He called for all parties to advance AI in an open, inclusive manner beneficial to all and oriented toward the good. These remarks underscore the difficulty of reaching any agreement between the US and China. Chang Jun Yan, assistant professor at Singapore's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said cooperation on slowing and securing AI development is very unlikely because it touches each state's core national security interests.

Beijing has also acknowledged AI risks. State security minister Chen Yixin wrote that China must balance development and security, improve laws and ethical guidelines, and strengthen risk prevention to safeguard people's interests and national security. He warned of hostile forces such as foreign intelligence using AI and called for international cooperation. Kenton Thibaut of the Atlantic Council noted strong signals that Washington and Beijing share an understanding of frontier risks, giving China technical reasons to engage so its developers can observe model deployment outside China and detect vulnerabilities.

How intense is the US-China AI competition?

Artificial intelligence now sits at the heart of the US-China rivalry. Despite US export bans on critical chips, Chinese AI innovation continues to expand through open-source technology and Beijing's backing. Many experts believe the US remains ahead while Chinese firms struggle to raise the hundreds of billions of dollars investors are pouring into American AI. US President Donald Trump has said his priority is ensuring the US develops the technology faster than China because whoever wins AI wins. Chasen Nevett of Forani Investments said that if China establishes a durable lead in frontier AI, Washington would view it not as losing a technology race but as losing part of the strategic infrastructure of the next industrial era.

Former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon told the BBC that some sort of coordinated slowdown with China is needed to avoid an international-scale race. The competition remains fierce as both sides seek an edge in advanced tech.

What efforts are underway for AI regulation?

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for a slowdown in AI development. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote that ways are needed to ensure alignment and safety techniques stay ahead of progress in model capabilities. Microsoft boss Satya Nadella said AI development cannot be controlled by a handful of entities. In July China set up the World AI Cooperation Organisation to shape global AI governance. At the Brics summit Xi Jinping proposed creating a community for open-source AI. Chen Yixin stressed the need to balance development and security while strengthening laws and ethical guidelines.

These moves come after warnings from industry insiders that AI could wipe out humanity if development continues at the current pace. Trump has downplayed the risks, focusing instead on maintaining the US lead over China.

How will AI be discussed in future meetings?

Trump is preparing to host Xi at the White House next week, with efforts underway to include AI on the agenda. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng are also likely to discuss AI before the summit. He Lifeng runs the agency overseeing the country's economic planning, including AI development. Thibaut noted technical reasons for cooperation because Chinese developers would gain visibility into how their models are deployed outside China.

Frequently asked questions

What did China say on AI governance?

China stated that threat narratives disrupt global AI governance and called for open, inclusive cooperation.

Why is the US seeking an AI slowdown?

Anthropic and OpenAI leaders said safety techniques must stay ahead of capabilities and that AI must not endanger humanity.

Is US-China cooperation possible?

Experts say cooperation on slowing and securing AI is very unlikely due to core national security interests.

How far ahead is China in AI?

Experts say the US is still ahead but China is advancing rapidly via open-source technology and government support.

What did Xi Jinping say about AI?

Xi said China must balance development and security and strengthen laws and ethical guidelines.