GENEVA (AP) 鈥 U.S. officials raised concerns about China's 鈥渕isuse of AI鈥 while Beijing's representatives rebuked Washington over "restrictions and pressure" on artificial intelligence, the governments said separately Wednesday, a day after a meeting in Geneva on the technology.
Summaries of the closed-door talks between high-level envoys, which covered AI's risks and ways to manage it, hinted at the tension between Beijing and Washington over the rapidly advancing technology that has become another flashpoint in bilateral relations.
China and the United States 鈥渆xchanged perspectives on their respective approaches to AI safety and risk management鈥 in the 鈥渃andid and constructive鈥 discussions , 春色直播 Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement. Beijing said the two sides exchanged views 鈥渋n-depth, professionally, and constructively.鈥
The first such U.S.-China talks on AI were the product of a November meeting between . The talks testified to concerns and hopes about the promising but potentially perilous new technology.
鈥淭he United States underscored the importance of ensuring AI systems are safe, secure and trustworthy in order to realize these benefits of AI 鈥 and of continuing to build global consensus on that basis,鈥 Watson said. Referring to the People's Republic of China, she added: 鈥淭he United States also raised concerns over the misuse of AI, including by the PRC.鈥
She didn't elaborate on the type of misuse or other actors behind it.
Beijing, meanwhile, 鈥渆xpressed a stern stance on the U.S. restrictions and pressure in the field of artificial intelligence鈥 against China, the country's Foreign Ministry's Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs said in a social media post.
Beijing has previously at Commerce Department export controls limiting access to advanced computer chips that can be used for AI. Biden in August signed an executive order to restrict U.S. investments in China's AI industry.
China also advocates for the United Nations to take a leading role in the global governance of AI, a move that could sideline the U.S.
Both sides recognized that while AI presents opportunities, 鈥渋t also poses risks,鈥 the Chinese statement said.
China has built one of the world's most intrusive digital surveillance systems, which have an AI component, deploying cameras in through chat apps and mobile phones.
Watson said the U.S. wants to keep communication open with China on AI risk and safety 鈥渁s an important part of responsibly managing competition,鈥 an allusion to the multifaceted and growing rivalry between the world's top two economic powers.
Helen Toner, an analyst at Georgetown鈥檚 Center for Security and Emerging Technology, said that 鈥渢he real verdict on whether these talks were successful will be whether they continue into the future.鈥
AI is already having a vast effect on lifestyles, jobs, national defense, culture, and much more 鈥 and its role is set to grow.
China warned as far back as 2018 of the need to regulate AI but has nonetheless funded a vast expansion in the field as part of efforts to seize the high ground on cutting-edge technologies.
Some U.S. lawmakers have voiced concerns that China could back the use of AI-generated deepfakes to spread political disinformation, though China, unlike the U.S., has imposed a set of new laws banning manipulative AI fakery.
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Chan reported from London. AP Tech Writers Matt O'Brien in Rhode Island, Frank Bajak in Boston and Asian Affairs Writer Didi Tang in Washington contributed to this report.
