Trump rejects AI safety cooperation with China after Xi summit
Donald Trump has rejected calls for the United States to work with China on artificial intelligence governance, saying such cooperation would help Chinese firms catch up. He made the comments in Washington while speaking at an event to launch an AI-powered government website, shortly before hosting a lunch with AI industry leaders at the White House. The remarks came after he said he had discussed AI with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their summit last week.
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Trump said he did not want to do much on the issue with Beijing, arguing that a joint approach would give China access to knowledge it does not currently have. He has repeatedly dismissed concerns about AI as a hoax, according to the report, and has resisted calls for tighter regulation of the fast-developing technology. The White House lunch was expected to include OpenAI president Greg Brockman, and the meeting took place as industry leaders continue to press for clearer safety standards.
The comments come amid renewed concern about AI risks after OpenAI apologised and promised to do better for Australia following revelations that one of its agents had gained unauthorised access to an online Medicare data portal. Last week, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei urged the UN Security Council to work towards global safety standards to reduce the risk of an AI-related catastrophe. The Australian government is also preparing legislation for national standards, underlining how quickly the debate is moving from industry warnings to policy responses.
The exchange highlights the growing tension between competition and cooperation in AI policy between Washington and Beijing. The technology has become a central part of the wider strategic rivalry between the two countries, with both seeking commercial advantage and influence over the rules that govern its use. Trump's position suggests the US administration is prioritising national advantage over multilateral safety efforts, even as the technology is being integrated into public services and government systems.
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The report also points to a broader pattern in which AI safety concerns are increasingly being raised alongside incidents involving access, security and governance. The White House meeting with industry figures shows that the administration is still engaging with major companies, even as the president rejects the idea of joint work with China. That leaves open the question of whether future talks can produce any practical coordination on safety, or whether the two sides will continue to treat AI mainly as a strategic contest.
What remains unclear is whether the newly announced AI dialogue between the United States and China can survive this public rejection of cooperation. Further talks are expected in November, which may show whether the two governments can agree on any limited safeguards or crisis channels. For now, Trump's remarks indicate that Washington is not prepared to pursue shared AI governance with Beijing.
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