Chinese and US envoys hold first AI summit

Leading ambassadors from China and the United States held a closed-door meeting in Geneva on Tuesday to discuss national strategies to address opportunities and risks associated with the development of artificial intelligence technology.

Recently, the United States banned the export of semiconductors to China by companies such as NVIDIA, a leader in the AI ​​market. The United States says it wants to keep China away from Chinese technology, but experts speculate it wants to slow China’s AI advancements.

China-US bilateral diplomacy

The goal of the meeting, which President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden have decided to start in 2023, is to initiate bilateral dialogue on rapidly developing technologies that are already impacting many areas, including trade, security, politics, lifestyle, and culture. It will. , between the world’s two largest economies and a growing geopolitical rivalry.

The meeting, chaired by senior White House and State Department officials, could provide insight into China’s views on artificial intelligence (AI) amid the country’s traditionally reserved attitude toward the subject, according to U.S. technology experts. AP reported.

Experts on the subject characterized the meeting as an introductory session that would produce little tangible results but would at least get the two sides close enough to start talks.

Jason Glassberg, co-founder of Washington-based Casaba Security, said in an email:

“The most important thing now is for both sides to realize that they have a lot to lose if AI is weaponized or abused.”

He also added:

“All parties involved are equally at risk. “One of the biggest areas of risk right now is deepfakes, especially when used in disinformation campaigns.”

Source: AP.

Geneva hosts first AI summit

Glassberg noted that AI-generated threats could be just as dangerous to China as they are to the United States.

It is unclear why the conference was held in Geneva, despite the world-famous Swiss city being promoted as a center for international organizations, the United Nations and diplomacy.

Later this month, the city will host the Geneva-based International Telecommunications Union’s annual “AI for Good” conference. The International Telecommunications Union is a United Nations organization formerly led by China’s Houlin Zhao and currently led by the United States’ Doreen Bodgan-Martin.

This meeting is the first of the intergovernmental discussions on artificial intelligence (AI) decided upon at the multilateral meeting between Xi Jinping and Biden in San Francisco six months ago.

The U.S. government has also worked to regulate technology, encouraging technological advancements in the hope that it will boost employment and the national economy.

Western experts say the Chinese government has currently been secretive about its use of AI because it is actually or potentially deployed in military and surveillance operations under the ruling Communist Party.

U.S. officials announced they would outline plans to reduce potential risks associated with the technology, including mandating safety testing of AI products and entering into voluntary agreements with industry-leading companies.

Source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/chinese-and-us-envoys-hold-first-ai-talks/