The United States has proposed establishing a crisis notification mechanism with China to alert each other when artificial intelligence incidents pose national security risks. The proposal, characterized as an “AI hotline,” was presented during discussions in New York between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Sunday, ahead of a summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for later this week.
Bessent stated that the US aims to create a broader US-China dialogue focused on artificial intelligence, with emphasis on national security and transparency between the world’s two leading AI powers. Trump’s science and technology adviser Michael Kratsios indicated that the primary objective is discussing how to avoid shared risks. However, specific details about what would trigger a notification under this system have not been made public. Chinese officials have provided minimal comment, with state media acknowledging only that AI issues were discussed during the talks.
The proposed mechanism would follow precedent set by earlier crisis communication channels. The US and China established a direct secure telephone link in 1997 and a military hotline in 2008 to facilitate communication during potentially dangerous incidents. Analysts suggest the AI notification system could serve mutual interests by allowing both nations to share threat information as technology evolves.
The initiative emerges as the US and China intensify competition for artificial intelligence dominance. While American companies maintain advantages in private investment and advanced semiconductors, China has demonstrated progress in developing capable AI models with constrained resources. Tech industry leaders, including executives from major AI companies, have recently emphasized the need for development guardrails as capabilities advance rapidly. Trump has resisted calls to slow AI development, stating that the nation winning the AI race gains significant strategic advantage. Observers suggest both countries can pursue competition while establishing basic cooperative frameworks on shared security concerns.
The summit will also address ongoing trade disputes between the nations, including disagreements over tariffs and allegations that other countries are assisting China in circumventing US trade restrictions.
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