US, China to Hold First Trump Era AI Talks in September as Global Tech Rivalry Intensifies

The United States and China are preparing to hold high level artificial intelligence (AI) talks in September, marking the first formal bilateral AI dialogue under US President Donald Trump's current administration. According to people familiar with the matter, the discussions are expected to take place before Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned visit to the United States on September 24, following a commitment made by the two leaders during their summit in May.

The proposed meeting comes as Washington and Beijing race to shape the future of AI while grappling with the security risks posed by increasingly powerful frontier AI models. The talks are expected to be led on the US side by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, although the identities of other officials, the venue, agenda and final dates are still under discussion. Officials from both governments have not publicly confirmed the plans.

According to sources, the dialogue will focus on AI safety, governance and risk management, including concerns over the use of advanced AI systems in military operations, cyber warfare, misinformation, critical infrastructure and economic security. The discussions are also expected to cover technical issues such as AI model definitions, evaluation methods, testing standards and future regulatory frameworks rather than broader political disputes. Beijing is said to prefer a technical exchange instead of politically charged negotiations.

The talks come amid an intensifying technology rivalry between the world's two largest economies. The United States has tightened export controls on advanced AI chips and has restricted access to some frontier AI technologies for national security reasons. Washington is also considering new measures affecting the use of certain Chinese open weight AI models by American companies.

China, meanwhile, is weighing tighter controls on overseas access to its own most advanced AI models and semiconductor technologies. Chinese authorities have reportedly consulted companies including Alibaba, ByteDance and Z.ai on restricting foreign access to cutting edge AI systems, reflecting Beijing's growing view that AI is a strategic national asset.

The upcoming talks also follow the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, where the two countries presented sharply different visions for AI governance. US officials argued that excessive regulation could slow innovation, while China promoted open source AI models, greater international cooperation and wider access to AI technology for developing nations. During the conference, Xi Jinping positioned China as a leader in global AI governance and announced expanded AI cooperation with BRICS, ASEAN, African and Latin American partners through the newly launched World AI Cooperation Organisation (WAICO).

Analysts say the September dialogue is unlikely to produce immediate policy breakthroughs but could establish a regular communication channel between the two AI superpowers at a time when competition over technology, national security and global AI standards is rapidly intensifying. Even as geopolitical tensions persist over trade, semiconductors and Taiwan, both Washington and Beijing appear eager to maintain dialogue on AI to reduce strategic risks and prevent future misunderstandings.