Trump and Xi to Meet in Washington as AI Safety and Rivalry Top Agenda

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to meet in Washington this week, with artificial intelligence at the centre of discussions between the two rivals.

The meeting comes as competition over the technology intensifies, with both nations racing to dominate AI development. Concerns over AI safety have grown after American tech leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, called for a global slowdown in AI development, warning of risks ranging from out-of-control cyberattacks to the spread of political misinformation.

Hopes for finding common ground on global AI safety are clouded by the broader rivalry between the two countries. As China narrows the technology gap with the US, each side has expressed concern over how AI in the other's hands could harm its interests.

Ahead of the leaders' meeting, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said after talks in New York with China's Vice Premier He Lifeng that the two countries discussed setting up a mechanism on AI dialogue. They also proposed a new "notification mechanism" for AI incidents that could impact national security.

Experts suggest that while a formal consensus or agreement may be unlikely, there remains some room for collaboration, particularly given that China and the US have previously agreed to hold dialogues on AI.