Trump and Xi Find Narrow Path to AI Deal

During Xi Jinping's September 24 visit to Washington, a sweeping US-China AI slowdown deal is unlikely, but narrower cooperation on catastrophic risks may be possible. Trump has dismissed AI doomsday warnings as a "hoax," while Xi has called for guardrails, creating a potential opening for limited agreements. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has proposed a formal AI dialogue and a mechanism for each side to notify the other of AI incidents threatening national security. Such a channel could help avoid mistaking a non-state actor or rogue AI for an act of aggression, reminiscent of the Cold War "red phone." Beijing has not publicly endorsed the proposal, and key questions remain over what constitutes a national security threat and whether governments would learn of serious incidents. Experts warn that another prolonged hiatus from negotiations could prove disastrous given rapidly advancing AI capabilities.