AI Safety Slowdown Calls Ignored by Trump, Xi

Calls from leading artificial intelligence companies for a coordinated slowdown in AI development are facing significant resistance from global leaders, particularly U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, ahead of their scheduled meeting on September 24. The urgency for such a pause has been amplified by concerns over AI's potential existential risks, including a viral post from a former Anthropic researcher suggesting AI could cause human extinction by the end of the decade. In response to these escalating fears, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO have reiterated their appeals for international cooperation, specifically urging the U.S. and China to work together on pacing AI advancements. Altman even suggested that Trump and Xi could jointly win the Nobel Peace Prize if they reached an agreement on AI safety, an attempt to appeal to their leadership ambitions.

However, both President Trump and President Xi have publicly rejected the notion of an AI development slowdown. President Trump, in a September 14 post on Truth Social, stated that the only necessary controls for the U.S. are a "STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT." This sentiment reflects a broader U.S. perspective that emphasizes national leadership in AI innovation rather than deceleration. On the same day, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun characterized the current discourse in the U.S. surrounding AI safety as "fear-mongering" that could "hamper efforts toward sound global AI governance." China views the U.S. calls for a slowdown as a strategic move to maintain its technological lead, particularly in light of U.S. restrictions on exporting advanced AI chips to China.

George Chen, Partner and Chair of Digital Practice at The Asia Group, noted that Xi Jinping is reportedly displeased with U.S. efforts to curb Chinese advancements in AI, robotics, and drones. Chen explained that Xi views AI as a transformative technology akin to the internet, presenting a unique opportunity to rebalance the global technological power structure. Therefore, China does not require U.S. approval to adjust its AI investment strategies and will proceed with its own agenda. President Trump echoed this competitive stance, asserting on Truth Social, "Whoever wins AI, wins!" This competitive framing suggests that both nations are prioritizing AI supremacy over collaborative safety measures.

Despite the impending meeting between Trump and Xi, where AI safety is expected to be a topic of discussion, achieving any substantial agreement between the two countries on this issue is considered "a long way" off, according to Paul Triolo, global technology policy lead. The differing national priorities and competitive dynamics between the U.S. and China create a challenging landscape for implementing a global AI slowdown, even as concerns about the technology's rapid advancement persist within the AI research community and among the public.