Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for greater US-China cooperation on artificial intelligence, saying the technology should remain under human control. His comments came during talks with Donald Trump in Washington.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the United States and China to work together on artificial intelligence, saying the two countries should use their technological strengths to advance the technology rather than compete solely against each other.
Speaking during his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday, Xi said both countries had strong AI capabilities and could continue discussions on the technology’s risks and benefits. He also stressed that AI development should remain under human control and serve the interests of people.
“Both China and the US have strong AI capabilities. The right thing to do is to draw on each other’s strengths, not guard against each other,” Xi said, according to a statement shared by the Chinese Embassy in the US.
The comments come as both the countries compete over advanced chips, computing infrastructure and increasingly capable AI systems. The two countries have also taken different positions on how much oversight the technology should face.
Xi urges AI dialogue between US and China
Xi said the competition between China and the US should remain healthy and within bounds, while calling for continued communication on AI.
His remarks came as international discussions around AI safety have gained momentum, with governments and technology companies debating how to manage increasingly powerful systems without slowing technological development.
More from TechThe issue has also become part of the broader US-China relationship. US has sought to maintain its lead in advanced technology, while China has invested heavily in domestic AI development and computing capabilities.
Trump rejects calls for global AI controls
Trump has taken a markedly different approach to international AI regulation.
Just two days before meeting Xi, the US president told the United Nations General Assembly that he has rejected attempts to create what he described as a “globalist scheme” to control artificial intelligence.
Trump has argued that restrictions could hold back the technology’s economic and strategic potential. During the UN address, he said he would not “stifle growth” of something he expects could become larger than the Industrial Revolution.
Ahead of his meeting with Xi, Trump also referred to AI as “Super Intelligence”, or “SI”, and said it would be a major subject of discussion. In a Truth Social post, he said he wanted to “leave it exactly where it is”, adding that China’s position was the same.
The contrasting positions come as some leading AI executives have called for greater caution over the pace of development. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has urged the industry to “pace the frontier”, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and xAI CEO Elon Musk have backed calls for greater attention to AI risks.
The Xi-Trump discussion therefore places AI cooperation alongside a much broader technology contest. While both leaders acknowledge the growing importance of artificial intelligence, their comments indicate continuing differences over whether its development should be subject to stronger international safeguards.
