Trump and Xi Put Artificial Intelligence at the Center of U.S.-China Competition — and Cooperation
Artificial intelligence emerged as one of the most consequential subjects in Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House, as the two leaders confronted a technology race increasingly tied to economic power, national security and military capabilities. Their September 24 talks came amid intense competition between Washington and Beijing over advanced AI and semiconductors, but also produced discussion of possible cooperation on AI-related risks.
Xi presented AI as an area where the United States and China have reasons to cooperate despite their strategic rivalry. According to China’s government readout, Xi said the two countries should use their respective strengths, maintain dialogue on AI’s risks and benefits, and work together to prevent misuse and abuse of the technology.
Xi also stressed that AI should remain “under human control” and serve the well-being of people. He argued that the two countries, as leading AI powers, have both the capability and responsibility to manage the technology responsibly.
Trump entered the summit with a markedly different emphasis. Before meeting Xi, he said AI and what he calls “Super Intelligence” would be a major topic but indicated that he wanted to leave the technology largely as it was rather than negotiate new restrictions. He pointed to the U.S. Justice Department as the relevant safeguard.
That difference illustrates an important tension in the talks. Beijing has increasingly emphasized AI governance and safety, while the Trump administration has prioritized rapid technological development and maintaining U.S. leadership. The meeting therefore brought together two countries that are simultaneously competitors in AI and potential partners on specific safety problems.
The talks were preceded by discussions between U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Those officials discussed creating a formal U.S.-China AI Dialogue and a possible notification mechanism for AI incidents that could have national-security consequences.
The proposed mechanism could provide a channel for Washington and Beijing to communicate if advanced AI systems create serious security problems. Issues discussed in the preparatory talks included potentially uncontrolled AI models, malicious cyberattacks and the use of AI in developing biological weapons.
The significance of such communication is heightened by the fact that AI development is increasingly connected to national-security capabilities. Both countries are concerned not only about commercial AI but also about advanced models, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure and possible military applications.
At the same time, deep mistrust remains. Washington has imposed restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductor technology to China, seeking to limit Beijing’s access to cutting-edge computing capabilities. China has strongly objected to those restrictions, while Chinese AI companies have continued developing increasingly capable systems.
The technology dispute also includes accusations surrounding the development of AI models. U.S. officials and industry figures have raised concerns about Chinese companies obtaining capabilities from American AI systems through techniques such as model distillation. Chinese officials have rejected what they regard as exaggerated U.S. claims.
For the AI industry, the summit was closely watched because the United States and China are widely regarded as the two leading centers of frontier AI development. American companies remain at the forefront of advanced model development, while Chinese companies have rapidly narrowed technological gaps in several areas.
Xi’s language suggested that Beijing wants competition to remain bounded rather than become an unrestricted technological confrontation. He said the two countries could compete while still cooperating where their interests overlap, arguing that cooperation offers gains while confrontation carries costs.
The AI discussions therefore produced an unusual combination of rivalry and limited common ground. There was no announcement of a comprehensive agreement governing AI development, but both sides indicated an interest in maintaining dialogue and addressing certain shared risks.
The broader Trump-Xi summit also covered trade, Taiwan and Iran. Washington and Beijing agreed to extend their existing trade truce by two months, while disagreements over technology restrictions and strategic competition remained unresolved.
For now, the AI issue appears less like a settled agreement and more like the beginning of a new diplomatic channel. The proposed U.S.-China AI Dialogue could become a mechanism for crisis communication, but its effectiveness will depend on how much information both governments are prepared to share and whether cooperation can survive the wider strategic rivalry.
The Trump-Xi discussions consequently highlight a central dilemma of the emerging AI era: the United States and China are competing intensely to lead the technology, yet the risks created by increasingly powerful AI systems may require the two rivals to communicate even while they compete. The White House meeting has opened that conversation, but it has not resolved the fundamental disagreements over how far AI development should proceed and what safeguards should govern it.
