President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in Washington next Thursday, with AI leaders from the U.S. and China expected to attend a state dinner during the summit, according to a report by Politico.
The gathering will include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, alongside Trump and Xi. The summit is expected to address trade, technology, and artificial intelligence, with AI emerging as a central topic of discussion.
U.S.-China AI tensions persist ahead of talks
Despite the high-profile attendance, experts caution that the broader U.S.-China relationship remains strained over AI. The Trump administration has recently accused Chinese AI companies of intellectual property theft through alleged model "distillation" techniques, while Beijing has criticized U.S. restrictions on chip exports as part of a "Cold War playbook."
Former officials and policy experts note that while government-level discussions ("Track One") remain contentious, informal "Track Two" dialogues—involving experts and think tanks—have continued. These discussions aim to address shared concerns about AI risks, though trust between the two nations remains low.
Context: The role of Track Two diplomacy
Track Two diplomacy refers to unofficial exchanges between non-governmental experts, often organized by think tanks or universities. These conversations have historically complemented formal diplomacy, particularly on complex issues like nuclear disarmament and climate change.
Sarah Beran, a former U.S. diplomat and incoming president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, emphasized the importance of AI discussions, stating: "I think there is no more important topic that the U.S. and China should be talking about than AI." However, she added that the current lack of trust complicates progress.
The summit follows a period of heightened competition, with both sides accusing the other of attempting to limit or control AI development through regulatory and trade measures. The inclusion of tech leaders at the state dinner signals the significance of AI in the bilateral agenda, even as broader tensions persist.