US Pitches AI 'Hotline' to China Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit

The United States has proposed a new "notification mechanism" with China - effectively an AI hotline - so the two countries can alert each other when an artificial intelligence incident becomes serious enough to threaten national security.

The idea was discussed Sunday in New York between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, ahead of a Washington summit this week between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping. The two leaders are expected to consider a broader US-China dialogue on AI, including the proposed notification system, though details remain limited.

Bessent said Washington proposed the dialogue with a focus on national security and a notification system covering "common goals and common threats." Trump's science and technology adviser Michael Kratsios said the key topic is "avoiding shared risks." Exactly what would trigger a notification has not been made public.

Beijing has said little. China's Xinhua news agency acknowledged the two officials discussed AI but did not say whether Beijing accepted the proposal, describing "frank, in-depth and constructive exchanges" on economic and trade issues. He and China's chief trade negotiator Li Chenggang left without speaking to reporters.

It would not be the first crisis channel between the two countries. In 1997, Bill Clinton and Jiang Zemin agreed to a direct secure telephone link, and a military hotline has existed since 2008, giving both sides 48 hours to respond.

The proposal comes amid an intensifying contest for AI supremacy. Stanford University's 2026 AI Index Report says US companies invested $285.9bn in AI in 2025, against $12.4bn in China. China has shown it can build resilient models despite US chip restrictions, and holds advantages in rare earth minerals and electricity generation.

Xi's state visit runs Wednesday to Friday, with Trump expected to welcome him at Joint Base Andrews. Trade, tariffs, Iran and Taiwan are also expected to feature. Experts say AI could be a rare area where the rivals find a deal.

Source: Al Jazeera