The United States has proposed the creation of an alert exchange system with China for national security-related artificial intelligence issues. This initiative was presented on Sunday ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, following a meeting with his Chinese counterpart He Lifeng, indicated that the AI dialogue has commenced and further discussions are anticipated in approximately two months. The proposed notification system is envisioned to function similarly to the Washington-Moscow hotline established during the Cold War, facilitating direct communication between military and governmental bodies.
During the discussions, Bessent reportedly conveyed U.S. concerns regarding the potential for AI agents to become uncontrollable and to be used in the development of dangerous weapons, including biological agents. This proposal comes days after leading artificial intelligence companies publicly advocated for a global slowdown in AI development due to similar fears of the technology going rogue.
President Trump has previously expressed opposition to decelerating AI development, arguing that such a move would benefit China in its pursuit of dominance in the sector.
The U.S. and China also addressed the fragile trade truce, which is scheduled to expire on November 10. Bessent stated that both nations desire to maintain the stability achieved over the past year. However, negotiators did not reach an agreement on an extended truce during Sunday's talks.
The U.S. has suggested a six-month extension of the truce, while China reportedly seeks an extension for the remainder of Trump's current term. This trade dispute originated early in Trump's presidency with the imposition of significant tariffs on Chinese goods, leading to retaliatory measures from Beijing. The two sides later reached a formal agreement in November of the previous year.
President Trump is slated to host Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit on Thursday. This will mark Xi's first visit to the U.S. since 2023.