US to raise concerns at first AI talks in China

WASHINGTON:

The United States and China will hold their first talks on artificial intelligence on Tuesday, with Washington raising concerns about Beijing’s use of the rapidly emerging technology, US officials said.

The opening dialogue — announced without a date during Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken’s visit to Beijing last month — will take place in Geneva with senior officials in attendance.

US officials said they did not expect concrete agreements or offers of cooperation from the dialogue, but wanted a channel to communicate each country’s views and perceptions of the risk.

China “has made the development of artificial intelligence a major national priority and is of course rapidly developing capabilities in policy areas as well as military/national security areas,” said a US official on the customary condition of anonymity.

The Chinese effort often takes place in a way “that we believe undermines the national security of both the U.S. and allies,” he said.

“We will reiterate our concerns about Beijing’s use of artificial intelligence in this regard.”

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Another US official noted that Washington has previously expressed concern about the possibility of election interference through artificial intelligence, although the issue would not be specifically on the agenda in Geneva.

Both China and the United States are rapidly developing their fields of artificial intelligence, with Washington and its allies increasingly concerned about the capabilities of Beijing’s communist authorities.

US experts have expressed concern about the growing ability of Chinese AI engineers to produce “deep fakes” – impersonations of real or dead people.

The United States, the European Union and Britain are working to regulate artificial intelligence in ways they say will protect individual privacy and security.

China has been pursuing its own AI path, even as it participated in a major meeting last year on AI security called by Britain.