US and China Balance AI Rivalry With Prospects for Safety Dialogue

Artificial intelligence has moved to the centre of the strained relationship between the United States and China, emerging as a subject that could both deepen their rivalry and open a path to dialogue.

When the two countries' leaders meet, AI is expected to feature prominently on the agenda. The discussions are likely to touch on whether the world's two largest economies can find common ground on the safety of advanced AI systems, even as they remain locked in a contest over control of the underlying technology.

The competitive dimension is already well established. Washington and Beijing are vying for advantage in semiconductors, computing power and the wider AI supply chain — a contest that carries significant consequences for the global economy and for national security.

Yet the same technology also presents a shared challenge. The risks associated with powerful AI systems do not stop at borders, giving both sides a potential incentive to talk even when broader disagreements persist.

That dual character — rivalry alongside a possible opening for engagement — is likely to define how AI figures in US-China relations in the period ahead. Any cooperation on safety would not resolve the deeper contest for technological leadership, but it could create a channel through which the two powers continue to communicate.