As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly develops, experts suggest that China and the United States are capable of strengthening joint work on common challenges and ensuring this technology serves the well-being of the population.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stated on Thursday that despite competition in the field of AI, China and the US have even more reasons to cooperate. During meetings with US President Donald Trump at the White House, Xi noted that both sides should leverage their strengths in AI instead of confronting each other.
Hu Bo, a researcher at the School of International Studies at Peking University, told CGTN that since both countries are leading players in AI, competition is inevitable, but he added that 'both sides also cooperate and learn a lot from each other.'
Against this backdrop, experts noted that the two countries could develop practical cooperation in several areas. Sun Chenghao, a researcher at the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, pointed out that deepening interaction is possible mainly in four areas: AI risk assessment and safety management, economic and social implications of AI, using AI for global public governance, and AI ethics and legal frameworks.
According to Sun, the parties could jointly work on classifying, assessing, and managing risks, including reporting major AI incidents, cybersecurity, and biological threats, as well as model safety assessment. He cited common issues such as the difficulty of controlling AI agents and the impact of deepfakes on public trust.
Since AI is transforming labor relations and traditional production models, Sun emphasized that higher levels of automation can increase productivity but simultaneously create the risk of structural unemployment. Therefore, cooperation in education, skills training, and digital infrastructure will help people adapt to technological changes.
Sun also noted that the leadership of China and the US in promoting such dialogues could serve as an example for other countries around the world. Furthermore, he suggested exploring how AI can offer new solutions for global problems such as climate monitoring, disaster forecasting, public health, and conflict prevention and mediation.
The rapid development of AI also raises ethical and legal questions regarding maintaining human control over key decisions, establishing basic principles for AI development and implementation, and defining responsibility in case of harm caused by AI. Sun concluded that dialogue in these areas would help the two countries strengthen mutual trust and develop an international consensus on norms of technological development.
Different Approaches to AI Governance
Public perception of AI governance also reflects different priorities in technology development and regulation. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, among respondents in 12 middle-income countries and regions, 43% expressed confidence in China's ability to effectively regulate AI, compared to 35% for the US and 34% for the European Union.
Sun suggested that this might be related to China's emphasis on development rights, technology accessibility, open-source collaboration, and capacity building. He added that through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Organization for Artificial Intelligence Cooperation and cooperation within BRICS on AI open-source communities, model development, and training programs, China has put issues of AI access and participation in decision-making on the global governance agenda.
In Sun's view, this approach, which combines development and security considerations, may better suit the practical needs of many developing countries than focusing solely on risks arising from advanced AI models. Hu also noted that the differences in perception reflect international concerns about losing control over AI, emphasizing that China has stricter regulation and risk management.