US and China share AI safety worries despite rivalry

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to meet this week amid rising concerns about AI threats, though competition between the rival nations clouds hopes for cooperation on global AI safety. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng included proposing a "notification mechanism" for AI incidents impacting national security. Both governments share worries about AI-enabled cyberattacks and threats to critical infrastructure like finance, electricity, and telecommunications. U.S. export controls on advanced chips remain a sticking point, with Beijing accusing Washington of pursuing an AI monopoly. Despite restrictions, Chinese models from firms like DeepSeek and Moonshot increasingly rival American counterparts, while U.S. allegations of technology "distillation" add further tension to the relationship.