US proposes AI incident alert system in talks with China

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Sunday that Washington has proposed a "notification mechanism" for artificial intelligence incidents affecting national security, during weekend talks ahead of a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping this week. Bessent discussed the proposal with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York, emphasizing the importance of transparency between the world's top two AI powers. He said both sides seek "a shared vision of common goals and common threats," while Trump has resisted slowing AI development, arguing it would help China catch up. Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said groundwork was laid for Thursday's Xi-Trump talks, including operationalizing a new "Board of Trade" first discussed in May. They added that discussions continue on lowering tariffs for "nonsensitive" items, potentially including consumer goods, agricultural products, energy, and medical devices.