Regarding the China summit, OpenAI’s Vice President of Global Affairs, Chris Lehane, stated Wednesday that the US can leverage its leadership in AI technology to develop a global governance framework that promotes safer and more robust systems.
“AI, in many aspects, goes beyond traditional trade issues,” Lehane mentioned to reporters during a briefing at the company’s Washington office. “This presents an opportunity to construct something on a global scale, potentially involving countries around the world, including China.”
Such an organization might take inspiration from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which includes China and establishes global safety protocols for nuclear energy to mitigate the risk of weapons proliferation, Lehane noted. He suggested that one approach to establishing this body could involve linking the US Commerce Department’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation with emerging AI safety institutes worldwide.
While Lehane indicated that OpenAI has proposed the idea of connecting AI safety institutes in Washington, it remains uncertain whether the Trump administration would support global guidelines that involve China. White House officials have previously signaled their disapproval of international governance over AI technology.
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The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.
OpenAI has also urged the US to mandate that government researchers assess advanced models to ensure their safety can be vetted in a classified environment, he added. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is working on an executive order regarding AI cybersecurity that focuses on voluntary rather than mandatory pre-deployment model evaluations.
Nevertheless, Anthropic PBC’s announcement regarding the global cyber risks associated with its Mythos artificial intelligence model has stirred changes in White House AI policy. Prior to the US delegation’s departure, officials noted they would consider establishing a new communication channel with China to regularly discuss AI matters.
Trump arrived in Beijing earlier Wednesday, local time, marking the first state visit by a US leader to China in nine years. His delegation includes senior administration officials and over a dozen US business leaders, including Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang, who was a last-minute addition to the trip.
Key topics of trade, such as the supply of rare earth elements and China’s acquisition of US agricultural goods, along with the ongoing conflict in Iran, will be prominent on the agenda. Nonetheless, artificial intelligence is expected to be a significant part of the dialogue. Earlier this week, US officials informed reporters that the American contingent would raise concerns regarding AI, although specifics were not disclosed.
One potential area for discussion involves the US’s broader initiative to address grievances from American AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, about Chinese developers allegedly leveraging outputs from advanced American models to build competing systems at significantly lower costs and with fewer safety measures.
