Back
called for explicit US-China collaboration
webCredibility Rating
3/5
Good(3)Good quality. Reputable source with community review or editorial standards, but less rigorous than peer-reviewed venues.
Rating inherited from publication venue: TechPolicy.Press
Published on Tech Policy Press, this piece is relevant to researchers and policymakers interested in international AI governance and the geopolitical dimensions of AI safety coordination, particularly US-China dynamics.
Metadata
Importance: 52/100opinion pieceanalysis
Summary
This article examines the prospects and challenges of US-China collaboration on AI governance, arguing that despite intense geopolitical competition, structured bilateral engagement may be necessary to prevent dangerous AI development races and establish shared safety norms. It explores historical analogies, current diplomatic barriers, and potential frameworks for cooperation.
Key Points
- •Geopolitical rivalry between the US and China creates structural barriers to AI governance cooperation, even when both sides share interests in avoiding catastrophic outcomes.
- •The article draws on arms control and climate diplomacy precedents to argue that adversarial nations can still achieve limited but meaningful cooperation on shared risks.
- •Explicit US-China collaboration on AI safety standards, incident reporting, and red lines may be more achievable than broader technology governance agreements.
- •Domestic political constraints in both countries make formal AI cooperation politically difficult, requiring creative diplomatic and track-1.5/track-2 engagement strategies.
- •Failure to establish baseline communication channels risks miscalculation and competitive dynamics that accelerate unsafe AI deployment.
Cited by 3 pages
| Page | Type | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| AI Structural Risk Cruxes | Crux | 66.0 |
| China AI Regulatory Framework | Policy | 57.0 |
| Multipolar Trap (AI Development) | Risk | 91.0 |
Cached Content Preview
HTTP 200Fetched Mar 20, 202621 KB
# From Competition to Cooperation: Can US-China Engagement Overcome Geopolitical Barriers in AI Governance?
Nayan Chandra Mishra / Sep 23, 2024
US President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China at the Woodside Summit in 2023. ( [White House](https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1724917700533563427))
US-China cooperation on AI governance remains at a crossroads. While both nations are locked in a fierce [competition](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-021-00083-y) for dominance over emerging AI technologies, they also acknowledge the pressing need to collaborate in addressing AI's global, transboundary challenges. As the two leading AI superpowers, the US and China possess not only the most advanced technological [capabilities](https://aiindex.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/HAI_2024_AI-Index-Report.pdf) but also the financial and political influence required to shape the future of AI governance. However, this competition for supremacy—driven by national security concerns, economic interests, and ideological differences—has complicated efforts to establish a cohesive global framework for AI regulation. Amidst these tensions, the US and China are beginning to show a cautious openness to [engagement](https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/FP_20190923_purpose_of_multilateralism_moreland.pdf), reflected in their recent support for joint UN resolutions and growing participation in key international dialogues—indicating a potential shift toward more constructive collaboration on AI governance framework.
## Shifting Landscape in Dialogue Between the US and China
In June 2024, a ray of hope emerged when the UN General Assembly unanimously passed the [China-led resolution](https://www.undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2F78%2FL.86&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop&LangRequested=False) “Enhancing International Cooperation on Capacity-building of Artificial Intelligence,” supported by the US and other 120+ UN members. Previously, in March 2024, China supported a [US-led resolution](https://www.undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2F78%2FL.49&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop&LangRequested=False) on “Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Systems for Sustainable Development.” Both the resolutions emphasized broadly similar issues, such as promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), capacity building, socio-economic development, and safeguards against malicious use of AI systems. In terms of governing AI, both the resolutions reaffirmed the need for international cooperation and multi-stakeholder consultations involving developed and developing states to “formulate and use effective, internationally interoperable safeguards, practices and [standards](https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/ltd/n24/065/92/pdf/n2406592.pdf).”
The reciprocity of support by both nations arose in th
... (truncated, 21 KB total)Resource ID:
8de95bad7d533f03 | Stable ID: MjQyN2FkZW