US Proposes AI Incident Alert Mechanism to China

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday the US proposed a new "notification mechanism" to China for artificial intelligence incidents that could affect national security, during weekend talks ahead of a White House meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Bessent discussed the proposal with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York, saying the world's two largest AI powers should move "from opacity to greater transparency" on cross-border activities. The talks also operationalized a new "Trade Council" agreed in May, with officials discussing lower tariffs on non-sensitive goods like consumer products, agriculture, energy, and medical devices. The proposal follows CNN reports that the US may gather AI company leaders during Xi's visit, with OpenAI's Sam Altman and Nvidia's Jensen Huang expected at the state dinner. China's Xinhua confirmed "frank, in-depth" discussions on AI and trade, while analysts said the notification mechanism could set a precedent for other nations.