US, China to hold AI talks in Switzerland

GENEVA: U.S. and Chinese officials plan to meet in Switzerland today to discuss artificial intelligence security concerns.

U.S. officials said the Geneva talks will not open the door for China to influence technology policy.

Representatives from both countries will discuss ways to reduce the dangers associated with AI, U.S. officials said.

“We certainly don’t see eye to eye…on many AI topics and applications, but we believe that communication on critical AI risks can make the world safer,” a U.S. senior official said.

Beijing and Washington are in a tight race to dominate the AI landscape. China is leveraging AI “capabilities across civilian as well as military/national security sectors,” a U.S official said.

Beijing’s use of AI could compromise “both U.S. and allied national security,” he added.

Another official said the U.S. is competing with China to set the rules on AI and “explore if some of the rules can be embraced by all countries.”

The AI talks were initiated last month following U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The U.S. will be represented by officials from the White House National Security Council and Departments of State and Commerce at Tuesday’s discussion.

The U.S. delegation will lead the talks with representatives from China’s foreign ministry and state planner, the National Development and Reform Commission.

A U.S. official said last week that the State Department wants China and Russia to make a commitment that AI will not make decisions about nuclear employment.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration plans to safeguard U.S. AI models like ChatGPT, curbing countries like China and Russia from gaining access to the software.

(VOA/Reuters/AFP)