Washington proposes US-China AI Dialogue after Sept 20 New York talks

September 21, 2026 at 08:36 AM2 min

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The United States and China agreed to establish a permanent mechanism for cooperation on artificial intelligence following talks in New York on September 20. The new format, named the US-China AI Dialogue, will serve as a platform for discussing both opportunities and potential threats of the rapidly developing technology. The agreement was reached ahead of a planned summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Washington.

Key Facts

The talks took place on September 20 in New York, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng participating.
Bessent described the consultations as "extremely successful" and said the discussion on artificial intelligence moved from general issues to practical proposals.
Washington proposed a system of mutual notifications about AI-related incidents that could reach the level of national security threats.
The proposed format is named the US-China AI Dialogue and aims to exchange information on individual incidents and build a common understanding of AI development goals and threats.
Specific parameters of the future mechanism have not yet been disclosed.

New York Talks

The negotiations were held on September 20 in New York between representatives of the United States and China. Participants included US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. The meeting took place ahead of a planned summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Washington. Bessent called the consultations "extremely successful" and noted that the discussion on artificial intelligence had shifted from general topics to practical proposals.

AI Dialogue Mechanism

The new format will be called the US-China AI Dialogue and is intended to serve as a platform for discussing both opportunities and potential threats of the rapidly developing technology. One of Washington's central ideas is the creation of a system of mutual notifications about AI-related incidents that could reach the level of national security threats. According to Bessent, such a system would allow the two countries to inform each other more quickly about potentially dangerous events and reduce the risk of a technological incident escalating into a more serious crisis. The mechanism's task will include not only exchanging information about individual incidents but also forming a common understanding of AI development goals and associated threats.

Bilateral Context

Washington and Beijing are for the first time moving AI issues into a separate permanent channel of bilateral interaction. The initiative is not about ending technological competition between the countries but about creating a communication mechanism as AI development gains increasing importance for the economy and national security. The development of the most powerful AI systems is occurring simultaneously in the US and China, so possible errors, security breaches, or other serious incidents could have consequences far beyond one country. Both sides continue to compete for technological leadership and have significant disagreements on trade, export of advanced technologies, and access to computing resources.