From the Guardian · · 3m
China rejects US calls to slow AI development
Beijing sees warnings about rapid AI advancement as an attempt to lock in American advantage and is pursuing its own balance between safety and speed.
In brief
Beijing sees warnings about rapid AI advancement as an attempt to lock in American advantage and is pursuing its own balance between safety and speed. China is resisting US calls to slow AI development, viewing them as a strategy to preserve American dominance while pursuing its own safety framework and economic…
Chinese companies embrace AI to survive
Education entrepreneur Boris But realised his company needed to adopt AI or risk becoming obsolete. His clients were already using chatbots to gather information, forcing him to develop his own AI study tool.
“If you can't beat them, join them.”
US and China locked in AI rivalry
The pace and quality of AI development in China is second only to the United States. Analysts agree that frontier US models are still ahead of Chinese counterparts, but the gap is narrowing.
Silicon Valley warns of AI catastrophe
Over recent weeks, Silicon Valley insiders have warned of potential catastrophes from loss of control of advanced AI. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei pitched a worldwide pacing of the frontier that would require cooperation with China.
China sees slowdown as competitive trap
China views calls for AI slowdown as a bid to lock in US advantage. For Beijing, AI is a core sovereignty capability, and the government will not jeopardise progress in closing the gap with US frontier models.
“It sees these calls as a bid to lock in US advantage.”
Amodei links AI safety to geopolitics
Dario Amodei argued it was key to keep democracies' AI lead over autocracies as large as possible. He advocated for continued export controls to China on advanced chips and machinery.
“to keep democracies' AI lead over autocracies as large as possible”
China releases updated safety framework
This week China released the third iteration of its AI safety governance framework. Updates include risks posed by agents, cybersecurity threats from frontier models, and recursive self-improvement, where AI becomes advanced enough to improve itself.
Analysts find common ground on safety
Researchers suggest there is more common ground than assumed between what Dario Amodei is saying and what the Chinese government is saying about AI safety. This contrasts with US president Donald Trump, who called fears AI could wipe out humanity a hoax.
China balances safety with growth goals
AI is being actively encouraged across the Chinese economy to promote growth, enshrined in the latest Five Year Plan. Local governments offer funding and low rents to companies, while Beijing has issued regulations on agents and companion AIs.
Chinese public treats AI as practical tool
Most Chinese people treat AI as an already useful everyday tool, not an abstract threat. Digital health service A-fu recently hit one hundred fifty million users. There is real anxiety about jobs and misinformation, but it coexists with belief that China must master AI.
“There is real anxiety about jobs and misinformation, but it coexists with a strong belief that China must master AI rather than slow down.”
Trump and Xi to discuss AI next week
US president Donald Trump is set to meet counterpart Xi Jinping in Washington next week, with AI expected to make the agenda. Analysts are sceptical a major breakthrough will happen between the two superpowers.
At a glance
China is resisting US calls to slow AI development, viewing them as a strategy to preserve American dominance while pursuing its own safety framework and economic growth goals.
