As artificial intelligence reshapes the world, it is making its presence felt in high-level diplomacy. After meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told journalists that the world’s two AI superpowers discussed establishing a channel for communication over AI developments with national-security implications. This is good news, but deep cooperation between the two countries will be difficult to build.
On AI as on so much else, Washington and Beijing see similar problems through different lenses. Both sides seek the military and economic advantages AI can bring, but both also worry about the job losses, economic turmoil and potential catastrophes the new technology could unleash. Chinese officials, however, will be focused on a topic many Americans haven’t thought much about: the existential threat AI could present to communist rule.