US President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday that he does not want to “merge” the efforts of the United States and China in the field of artificial intelligence, despite the “big discussion” he had this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding this technology.
Trump told reporters, as he left Washington for Knoxville, Texas, that China “wants to stop our progress because we are ahead of it by a large margin, and we will maintain that,” adding: “I would prefer that we not merge because we are ahead by a large margin... When you are in the lead, do not open the way for the other party.”
Trump's statements came a day after the conclusion of Xi's visit to Washington, and at a time when the White House announced that the two countries had agreed to create a "communication channel" to address incidents related to artificial intelligence, in a move that reflects limited coordination between the two competing powers without extending to broader cooperation in developing technology.
Limited coordination with Beijing
The White House stated in a document that the two countries established a “dialogue between the United States and China regarding (super-intelligence) to exchange views on the risks and benefits” associated with artificial intelligence, and they also agreed to establish a “bilateral communication channel” to address incidents in this field. In a report on the results of the summit on Saturday, Chinese official media confirmed the agreement to establish a hotline for artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence, which Trump has been describing as “superior intelligence” for days, was one of the main topics he discussed with Xi during his three-day visit to Washington that concluded on Friday. Trump said on Saturday that the two sides had a “big discussion” about this file, before at the same time reducing the size of the talks, explaining that they “did not spend a long time” discussing it.
The two countries competing in the field of artificial intelligence are subject to increasing criticism regarding the issue of risks resulting from artificial intelligence, after recording a number of incidents that raised fears that this technology might escape the control of its creators. The Chinese President believed that Washington and Beijing have a responsibility to “develop and manage artificial intelligence to serve the public good, and to ensure that its development always remains under human supervision.”
As for Trump, his position was different. He expressed his adherence to “the current level of organization,” and stressed that any coordination with Beijing does not mean openness to integrating efforts in this sector. He said that China seeks to slow down American progress, adding that the United States is ahead of it “by a large margin.”
Last week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent proposed creating a mechanism for mutual notification between the two countries regarding any incidents in the field of artificial intelligence “related to national security.” He added: “We believe that it is important to move from a situation shrouded in ambiguity to more transparency between the first and second powers in the world in the field of artificial intelligence.”
New breakthrough
The announcement of a new communication channel between Beijing and Washington regarding artificial intelligence coincided with the disclosure of a worrying new hack by the company OpenAI.
Yesterday, the leading company admitted that its artificial intelligence tools published on the Internet 53 images sent by users via its “GPT Chat” platform, in a new leak, this time extending to the data of the company’s own users.
It also confirmed that its tools had penetrated websites belonging to US federal agencies, thus confirming information previously reported by the New York Times, but indicating that it had only collected information available to the public.
OpenAI explained that the links to the 53 images were not publicly available, and were mistakenly published on electronic hosting sites, and indicated that most of them were removed with the help of the relevant hosting service providers, and that work is underway to remove the remaining images, according to what Agence France-Presse reported.
These images were sent from accounts whose owners agreed to use their data to develop the company's models. Before being used, it passed through a personal data privacy filter, and the company confirmed that the images could no longer be linked to the users who sent them. OpenAI did not clarify whether these images showed identifiable people or sensitive data, and did not reveal further details in response to questions from Agence France-Presse.
The images were published as a result of the behavior of “artificial intelligence agents”, which is software designed based on artificial intelligence models and capable of performing a series of sequential tasks autonomously. The company explained that proxy artificial intelligence tools being used in the framework of its research transferred training data to external services, most of which was not issued by users, and pointed out that most of the transfers took place before it enhanced security around its research in August.
It confirmed that it is currently conducting a comprehensive survey of the activities of its previous proxy tools, in a process that will take several months.
The company's CEO, Sam Altman, admitted on Friday that "we were not as fast as we had hoped" in the review and accident detection processes, justifying this by the huge volume of data that must be analysed.
An OpenAI spokesperson told Agence France-Presse that “the majority of the activities that have been subject to scrutiny so far have been standard search tasks, such as accessing publicly available content on the Internet to answer questions.” He added, "Some of these activities included government websites, as our models often resort to them as reference sources for public information."
Thus, the company confirmed that its models accessed public information on the websites of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the body that regulates financial markets, before publishing part of them on another page on the Internet, stressing that it did not find any trace of access to information that is not available to the public.
US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping drank tea at the White House on Friday and visited the National Archives, concluding a three-day summit in which personal diplomacy overshadowed major achievements in economic relations.
The two leaders praised each other in comments they made over tea in the White House's "Red Room." Trump said that the summit between the two largest economies in the world accomplished big things, adding: “I think our farmers will be happy,” but he did not provide details.
He explained: “America is very happy with this visit, and I am sure that China is very happy as well.”
Xi said that the relationship between the United States and China has developed into a constructive relationship characterized by “strategic stability based on respect, fairness and reciprocity.”
Xi added that he and Trump will have two more opportunities to meet this year, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China and the G20 summit in Miami. He said: “I welcome your visit to China, Mr. President and First Lady.”
Business relations
The summit was characterized by luxury and included air shows, tours, and a luxurious official dinner, but it was dazzling in form and poor in content, according to what Reuters reported.
However, Trump highlighted progress made under the bilateral trade mechanism, citing what he described as increased market access for American farmers and ranchers, while the two leaders identified artificial intelligence as an area for cooperation.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNN: that. with me. CNN, on Friday, said that details of the limited agreements reached by the two sides regarding their tense trade relations will be published on Monday.
He added: “We are in a regulated trade situation... We have made progress, and I believe that on Monday, we will announce more details about what we have accomplished over the past few weeks in negotiations with the Chinese.”
Greer went on to say that the United States has agreed with China to exclude certain essential goods from trade disputes, including exports to China of agricultural products and medical devices, and imports of consumer goods and non-sensitive goods.
A tour of the National Archives
The summit concluded at the US National Archives, and Trump and Xi appeared to review the US Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
Trump said in a speech on Thursday to welcome Xi that they would also see “artifacts that testify to the long and cherished relationship” between China and the United States and “cultural exchanges” between them.
Trump said: “Just as our ancestors reached across the ocean for centuries to trade, learn, and build a better world, our two countries are already doing the same, and we are very proud of that and the relationship between us.”
China has not commented on the archive visit, but analysts say Xi may have been keen to see records relating to the US transfer of recognition from Taiwan to communist China in 1979.
In response to a question, Trump said that he discussed Iran with Xi, adding: “I think we will achieve great results,” without providing further details. Beijing denies US allegations of helping Iran's leaders in the conflict that Trump started in February.
China is pressing on Taiwan
China considers Taiwan, which has a democratic system of government, part of its territory, and Xi has long sought to convince Trump to declare that the United States opposes Taiwan independence, rather than simply saying that it does not support independence, which has been Washington's official position for decades.
He is also keen to get the United States to stop arms sales to the island.
As expected, Xi pressed Trump on Taiwan on Thursday, saying he hoped the United States would “handle the Taiwan issue wisely.” China's official Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi "hopes that the American side will adhere to the correct position of opposing (Taiwan independence)."
Although the United States, like most countries, does not have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Washington is its most important international supporter, and is obligated, under American law, to provide it with the necessary means to defend itself.
Washington's allies in Asia will be closely watching how Trump speaks about Taiwan after Xi's visit.
After a summit with Xi in May, Trump, whose administration in December approved an arms deal with Taiwan worth $11 billion, said he had suspended a second deal, worth about $14 billion, describing it as “a very good negotiating chip.”
New foundation
Craig Singleton of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said Beijing may believe it has established a new foundation on Taiwan with Trump.
He added that Xi's use of the word "commitment" was revealing because it "indicates that Beijing believes Washington is already behaving the way it wants."
He continued, "With the current halt in arms sales to Taiwan, China may increasingly view this as a new basis rather than just a temporary pause."
He explained: “Beijing’s goal is to get Trump to include Chinese red lines in his own definition of a stable relationship.”
Senate Democrats criticized the summit on Thursday, saying Trump failed to obtain significant concessions from Beijing on trade, security, artificial intelligence or human rights.
They also criticized Trump for not publicly addressing Chinese military pressure on Taiwan, and called for the immediate delivery of approved military aid and arms sales to the island.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have made progress that is in the interest of the United States and China, at the conclusion of the Chinese president's state visit to Washington.
Trump announced that he discussed the war on Iran with his Chinese counterpart, and said: “We did that.” We did that,” he said in response to a question about this Iranian issue, while taking the Chinese President on a tour of the National Archives building in Washington during the last day of Xi’s visit.
In response to another question about whether he expected to make progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Trump replied: “I think we will achieve excellent results.”
According to what was reported by Agence France-Presse, Trump told reporters: “I think we have made tremendous strides, and we have made great strides, which is a very positive thing for both countries,” while having tea at the White House in the presence of his wife, Melania, and President Xi and his wife.
Trump indicated that the two sides “will hold extensive talks.”
In turn, the Chinese President indicated the possibility of holding two additional meetings with Trump this year. “For the remainder of this year, there will be two more opportunities to meet: one during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in China, and the other during the G20 summit in the United States,” Xi said through a translator while drinking tea, adding: “I welcome your visit to China, Mr. President and First Lady.”
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Friday that the United States is expected to announce the details of the conclusions of the trade negotiations with China on Monday.
Trump received Xi at the White House on Thursday and said: “We are in a managed trade mode... We have made progress, and I believe that on Monday we will reveal more details about what we have accomplished over the past few weeks in negotiations with the Chinese.”
He added that the United States agreed with China to exclude some major goods from trade disputes. He pointed out that Washington will export agricultural products and medical devices, “and we will receive consumer goods and other non-sensitive items from them.”
Greer said that the current talks did not address a limited category of high-quality electronic chips that are manufactured in the United States and require special licenses.
He added: “These chips are the most valuable products produced by American technology. "It's the way we maintain our edge in the super-AI race, so these are issues... that are not really being discussed within the framework of these negotiations."
