During a September 2026 meeting at the White House, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump agreed that both nations should continue dialogue on artificial intelligence, focusing on preventing its misuse and maintaining human control over the technology.
- Xi and Trump agree on continued AI dialogue and cooperation
- Both emphasize AI under human control to prevent misuse
- Recent trade talks included US proposals for AI incident alerts
What happened
On September 24, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump met at the White House for approximately 90 minutes, during which they discussed artificial intelligence cooperation between the world's two leading AI powers. According to China’s foreign ministry, Xi underscored the importance of continuing dialogue about AI risks and benefits while jointly preventing misuse and abuse of the technology.
Trump echoed the sentiment by affirming the future importance of AI, which he referred to as ‘Super Intelligence,’ advocating for ongoing US-China discussions and cooperation. The meeting came after an initial US-China AI dialogue held during the eighth round of trade talks, where the US proposed incident alerts for AI-related national security events.
Why it matters
The US and China possess significant AI capabilities that impact global technological development, economic competition, and national security. Their commitment to dialogue marks a rare example of cooperation in a landscape often defined by rivalry, aiming to ensure AI is developed responsibly and under appropriate human oversight.
This dialogue and cooperative stance help set a framework for managing AI risks and benefits on the international stage. It also signals a recognition from both powers of their shared responsibility to guide AI’s future, potentially influencing global standards and norms on AI governance.
What to watch next
Observers should monitor how this commitment to AI cooperation progresses, including how both countries implement mechanisms for AI incident alerts and the development of shared protocols for AI governance. The extent to which trade and security discussions integrate AI cooperation will also be pivotal.
Additionally, the ongoing engagement of leading technology companies from both countries, as evidenced by their participation in the state dinner hosted by Trump, could provide insight into collaborative projects or regulatory approaches. The evolution of US and China stances on global AI control mechanisms will remain critical to watch.