Trump and Xi Jinping, the leader of China, are set to discuss artificial intelligence next Thursday in Washington. Currently, the United States and China are in a cycle of intense competition and distrust regarding artificial intelligence, and experts believe that the likelihood of changing this situation at this meeting is low.
Competition and Distrust in Artificial Intelligence
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has accused Chinese AI companies of intellectual property theft and threatened sanctions. On the other hand, Beijing has criticized U.S. export restrictions on chips and accused Washington of using a "Cold War playbook" to limit China's AI advancements. There seems to be little room for compromise.
Informal Dialogues and Bilateral Discussions
However, former officials and policy experts say that there is an active bilateral dialogue at an informal level known as "Track Two dialogues." This type of dialogue gathers experts from both sides and covers topics including nuclear disarmament and climate change. Sarah Bran, a former U.S. diplomat, stated that no topic is as important for dialogue between the U.S. and China as artificial intelligence.
According to Bran, the topic of artificial intelligence is difficult due to the lack of trust in current relations. "The fear of choke points and the use of AI as a tool against both sides makes this one of the most challenging areas for discussion."
Track Two dialogues are designed to create understanding and work on policy recommendations that both sides can agree on. These discussions can serve as backup channels or low-risk ways to present ideas.
However, tensions at the official level regarding artificial intelligence have been high, and both sides are attentive to different concerns. The United States is focused on cybersecurity vulnerabilities and the potential loss of control over AI, while China is concerned with regime stability and self-sufficiency in hardware production.
Read more: Huawei Introduced New Chip Technologies
Source: npr.org
