The United States and China are preparing to place artificial intelligence safety on the agenda of an upcoming summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to a report by Cointelegraph on X (post), citing Nikkei Asia. Xi is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on Sept. 24, and the discussions are expected to include measures addressing AI-related cyberattacks, according to people familiar with the preparations.

The planned discussion would place AI safety alongside broader areas of U.S.-China competition, including advanced technology and semiconductor restrictions. It would also revive a channel that existed under the previous U.S. administration: in 2024, Washington and Beijing held intergovernmental talks on AI in Geneva, the first such bilateral dialogue on the technology.

AI Safety Enters the Trump-Xi Agenda

According to Nikkei Asia, Washington is preparing to raise several AI-related issues during the summit, including how the two countries can address the risk of cyberattacks directed or assisted by artificial intelligence.

The issue comes as both governments face growing concerns about the capabilities of increasingly advanced AI systems. Recent incidents involving autonomous AI agents have added urgency to discussions over how such systems could be monitored and how information about potential threats could be shared. Cyber intrusions have long been a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations; the two governments reached a 2015 agreement not to conduct cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, though each has since accused the other of violations, a history that shapes expectations for any new AI-related commitments.

Reuters separately reported that the U.S. and China are also preparing for a tentative AI safety dialogue in mid-September, ahead of the Trump-Xi summit. The proposed discussions would be led on the U.S. side by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and could focus on cooperation in monitoring AI-directed cyberattacks.

A White House official, however, said there was "currently no planned AI-related meeting in mid-September," underscoring that some elements of the broader dialogue remain unsettled.

Technology Rivalry Remains a Barrier

The potential AI discussions come against a backdrop of intense competition between Washington and Beijing over advanced technology.

The two governments have clashed over access to high-end semiconductors and U.S. restrictions on the export of advanced chips to China. Nikkei Asia reported that Beijing is expected to raise the issue of U.S. controls on advanced chips during the summit.

That creates a complicated setting for cooperation on AI safety. Both countries have incentives to address risks associated with rapidly advancing AI systems, while simultaneously competing for technological leadership and restricting access to strategic computing resources.

A Narrow Opening for Dialogue

The AI agenda could provide a limited area where the two governments can discuss shared risks even as disagreements continue elsewhere.

The proposed talks are also notable because the September discussions would represent the first official bilateral dialogue focused exclusively on AI between the United States and China since Trump returned to office for a second term, according to Reuters.

The immediate focus is expected to remain on AI safety and cyber risks rather than resolving the broader technology rivalry. Whether the Trump-Xi meeting produces any concrete agreement remains uncertain.

The next major milestone is the planned Sept. 24 Trump-Xi summit in Washington, where AI safety is expected to be among the issues under discussion.

Source: Hokanews