In a significant development, the United States and China have agreed to collaborate on managing the risks associated with advanced artificial intelligence (AI), while maintaining their competitive edge in technological leadership. The announcement was made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday, as both nations prepare for a new dialogue on "superintelligence" during President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shenzhen next week. The proposed dialogue aims to address shared risks and prevent misunderstandings between their respective systems. The discussions are expected to cover the evaluation and testing of advanced AI models before their release, as well as measures to ensure human judgement remains in control of the technology. Additionally, the two countries have agreed to establish a direct communication channel to alert each other about serious incidents involving the technology.
In trade-related news, Bessent also discussed initiatives that were agreed upon during the previous Trump-Xi meetings, including plans for a "Board of Trade" to determine reciprocal tariff reductions on $30 billion worth of non-sensitive goods in each direction. China has also pledged to purchase US agricultural products, and a proposed "Board of Investment" is expected to provide a structured forum for discussing market access for American companies operating in China. Despite the ongoing trade deficit with China, Bessent emphasized that the US objective is to reduce risks in the economic relationship rather than sever ties.
Bessent's remarks did not touch upon the controversy surrounding Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who is currently under internal investigation by the company's board over allegations of an affair with a businesswoman suspected of having links to Chinese intelligence. The lawsuit filed against Nvidia and its CEO seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial on behalf of investors who purchased Nvidia shares between October 9, 2025, and November 8, 2026.