A New Imperative: Forging US-China Cooperation on AI Risk Mitigation

8 hours ago7 min read

The intense technological rivalry between the United States and China in artificial intelligence is a central drama of our age, marked by massive investments and a race for supremacy in foundational models and military applications. However, this competition obscures a critical parallel reality: as the world's sole AI superpowers, both nations bear a shared and inescapable responsibility to collaboratively manage the technology's gravest dangers.The risks are borderless and escalating. AI could destabilize global finance through cascading algorithmic failures, unleash unprecedented cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, or weaponize disinformation to fracture societies.The long-term prospect of misaligned artificial general intelligence (AGI) presents an existential challenge no single country can solve alone. A historical blueprint exists.During the Cold War, the U. S.and USSR established crisis hotlines and arms control treaties to avert mutual destruction despite profound hostility. A similar pragmatic framework is now urgently required for AI.This does not mean ending competition or creating a global regulator. It means initiating bilateral dialogue to establish basic protocols: clear lines of communication during an AI crisis, verifiable red lines on autonomous weapon systems, and collaborative development of global safety standards for frontier models.While profound mistrust and espionage fears pose significant hurdles, the alternative—a fragmented world with no guardrails or mechanisms for de-escalation—invites catastrophic miscalculation. Engagement should start in technical and unofficial diplomatic channels, focusing on shared priorities like AI safety research and preventing systemic failures.As leading AI scientists have warned, the stakes are too high for unmanaged rivalry. The pursuit of technological advantage will continue, but 21st-century leadership will be defined by which power recognizes that true strength lies in ensuring powerful AI systems do not become a threat to all humanity. With capabilities advancing rapidly, the window to build these essential guardrails is narrowing.

#AI risk

#US-China relations

#AI superpowers

#global cooperation

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