China pushes open, inclusive AI development as US flags security risks
China calls for open and inclusive AI development, cautioning that confrontation and vicious competition could undermine global governance efforts.
China has called for artificial intelligence development to be more open and inclusive, cautioning that fear-mongering, confrontation and vicious competition could weaken efforts to build sound global governance for the technology.
The response from China's Foreign Ministry came after concerns were raised that a Chinese AI advantage could pose risks to US national security. A ministry spokesperson described AI as a consequential technology for the future of humanity and urged the development of open and inclusive AI for good and for all.
The remarks land in the middle of a widening debate over how quickly AI is advancing and what risks increasingly capable models carry, including whether progress could outrun humanity's ability to understand and control such systems.
The issue has also taken on a geopolitical dimension, with China and the US competing for leadership in areas such as advanced models, computing power and semiconductor technology.
China's state-run Global Times criticised Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei after he called for a slowdown in AI development, warning that rapid advances could eventually outpace humanity's ability to control such systems. Amodei has said AI development is accelerating partly because AI systems are increasingly capable of contributing to the development of the next generation of AI models, a process he has described as recursive self-improvement.
The Global Times quoted Chinese technology experts as saying that framing AI development as a US-China national security competition risks turning AI safety into a geopolitical issue rather than a global challenge requiring cooperation.
The debate comes as China pushes for greater international cooperation on AI governance. At the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a people-centred approach to AI and a global governance framework based on consensus.
China has also proposed establishing a BRICS AI open-source community as part of wider cooperation on emerging technologies, alongside initiatives covering digital industries, intelligent manufacturing and science and technology talent.
Against this backdrop, Beijing's latest comments signal its preference for international cooperation and open development of AI, while opposing approaches that it believes could turn technological progress into a zero-sum contest between major powers.