The United States and China will meet in Geneva this Tuesday to discuss issues related to artificial intelligence (AI), reflecting global concern over the risks associated with this emerging technology.
US officials stressed that Washington’s policies are not negotiable, underscoring the importance of exploring ways to reduce such risks.
“This is the first such meeting. So we hope to discuss the full range of risks, but we will not provide any details at this time,” a government source told Reuters.
President Joe Biden’s administration has sought to engage China on a variety of issues to bridge the communication gap between the two countries, and artificial intelligence has become a key point on this agenda. In April, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed to hold the first formal bilateral talks on the topic, recognizing the need to address security and regulatory issues.
The State Department has been pressuring China and Russia to accept statements like those of the United States, which insist that only humans — not artificial intelligence — make decisions about deploying nuclear weapons. The move highlights the importance of preventing the uncontrolled use of AI in critical areas such as national security.
The Geneva meeting is a major step in the relationship between the two countries on artificial intelligence. However, the US has made it clear that the dialogue is not to promote technical cooperation or collaborate on cutting-edge investigations, but rather to directly address US concerns regarding the risks associated with AI.
The U.S. delegation will include representatives from the White House and the State and Commerce departments, demonstrating the Biden administration’s commitment to comprehensively addressing the issue.
In parallel, the US Senate plans to release recommendations in the coming weeks to address the risks of AI.