In their first face-to-face talks in a year, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to begin a dialogue on AI in defense systems.
Key Points
Xi Jinping and Joe Biden met at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco.
The meeting took place amidst increasing tensions between the US and China.
There was no formal discussion on the use of artificial intelligence in nuclear arsenals’ command and control systems.
The two leaders discussed artificial intelligence (AI) and agreed that if AI was used in military or nuclear operations, it created real risks. The senior U.S. official said both sides were “very much focused” on practices regarding AI that could be dangerous or destabilizing, but not ready for any mutual declaration.
- Despite the positive tone of the meeting, both American and Chinese accounts indicated little progress on the key issues that have strained relations between the two nations.
- The leaders emphasized the importance of keeping channels of communication open and committing to dialogue in times of crisis.
- Both leaders expressed diplomatic niceties, but President Biden reaffirmed his earlier characterization of President Xi as a dictator.
- The technology race between the two nations, particularly regarding advanced computer chips, was a topic of conversation.
- President Xi accused the U.S. of trying to strangle China’s industrial competitiveness by imposing export restrictions on advanced chips.
- President Biden emphasized the need for rational and manageable competition to prevent conflicts.
- Both leaders alluded to the consequences of conflict and the importance of cooperation.
- President Xi arrived at the meeting during a period of economic slowdown in China and sought increased American investment.
- China has been prosecuting firms that reveal economic data or conduct due diligence on Chinese firms, impacting foreign investment.
