US and China to hold talks on AI risks and safety

US President Joe Biden, left, greets China's President President Xi Jinping, right, 2023.

High-level envoys from the US and China are set to discuss the risks and safety of artificial intelligence (AI) on Tuesday in Geneva.

They will "exchange views on how the two governments understand and seek to address the risks of advanced AI systems," a statement from the US National Security Council at the White House said.

Citing the foreign ministry, China’s official Xinhua news agency said they would discuss issues including the technological risks of AI and global governance.

The meeting is the first under an inter-governmental dialogue on AI agreed during a multi-faceted meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November 2023.

Biden administration officials said they plan to focus on the development of safe, secure and trustworthy AI.

The officials insisted on anonymity to preview the meeting on a phone call with reporters.

They also said the US would outline how it was addressing possible risks from the technology by creating voluntary commitments with the sector’s leading companies and requiring safety tests of AI products.

Washington has also been vying to stay ahead of Beijing on the use of AI in weapons systems.

The US delegation will include officials from the White House, the State Department and the Commerce Department, according to a US statement.

Meanwhile, many government leaders will meet in Seoul next week for the second summit on AI safety after a first gathering in the UK late last year.