US and China discuss AI security and risks

US and Chinese officials held the first meeting of a dialogue mechanism to address the security and risks of artificial intelligence technologies.

According to a statement made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the China-US Intergovernmental Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence meeting started yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland.

The meeting was attended by officials from the White House National Security Council, the State Department and the Department of Commerce from the US side, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Reform and Development Commission from the Chinese side.

It was stated that the parties exchanged views on the technological risks posed by artificial intelligence, its global management and other issues.

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed that the two countries would establish a joint working group on artificial intelligence during their meeting in San Francisco, USA in November 2023. The parties agreed to hold an intergovernmental dialogue meeting on this issue during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Beijing last month.

An official from the White House National Security Council said in a statement to the US press that the meeting will address the security and risks of artificial intelligence and focus on advanced systems.

The US official stated that the parties will express their initial ideas on the technological risks that artificial intelligence technologies may pose, but it is not expected to agree on a joint commitment or concrete action.

Emphasizing that the talks are not aimed at any technical partnership or cooperation in advanced research, the official said, “US technology protection policies are not open to negotiation.”