Trump and Xi bring AI risks to Beijing

Trump and Xi may put AI risk talks on their May 14-15 Beijing summit agenda, US media reports said.

The US and China are considering launching formal AI dialogue channels ahead of the Trump-Xi summit scheduled for May 14 and 15 in Beijing, according to multiple sources cited by The Wall Street Journal. The two sides envision a regular forum to address risks from unforeseen malfunctions in AI models.

The proposed dialogue would focus on risks from advanced AI systems, including unpredictable model behavior, autonomous military technologies, and misuse by non-state actors. The move signals that AI has risen from a background concern into a formal diplomatic priority between the world’s two largest economies.

What analysts expect from the summit

Analysts are urging low expectations for the summit. Jonathan Czin of the Brookings Institution warned that the US-China relationship remains “fragile,” defined more by an absence of friction than any affirmative agenda or deep dialogue on substantive differences.

On AI specifically, analysts say both governments could begin by opening official communication channels on AI risks, developing nonbinding safety guidelines, and sharing limited information about AI misuse or safety incidents. Trade, Taiwan, and rare earth access are also expected to dominate the agenda.

The White House accused China just weeks ago of running industrial-scale campaigns to steal US frontier AI models using tens of thousands of proxy accounts, adding a confrontational backdrop to any proposed AI safety dialogue.

Stanford’s 2026 AI Index found that the US performance advantage over China has nearly disappeared, with the leading American model ahead of the best Chinese model by just 2.7% on the Arena Leaderboard as of March 2026.

Why AI made the agenda

Both governments are considering formal AI discussions as part of the summit, an indication that AI development competition has emerged as a diplomatic priority alongside trade and security concerns. China-linked firms faced direct US scrutiny over alleged model theft in the weeks leading into the summit.

Trump’s trip to Beijing on May 14-15 would be the first visit by a US leader to China in almost a decade, as both sides attempt to stabilize a relationship strained by disputes over trade, Taiwan, technology controls, and the Iran conflict. Even a nonbinding AI safety declaration would mark the first structured bilateral framework on AI risk between the two powers.