According to The South China Morning Post, an agreement is anticipated to be signed by US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, limiting the utilization of artificial intelligence in nuclear weapons control systems. Amid escalating tensions between the superpowers, the two leaders are set to convene at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco on Wednesday.
Sources familiar with the upcoming talks have indicated that the advancement of AI in military applications will be a key focal point of the discussions. The agreement is expected to restrict the application of AI in smart weaponry like UAVs and the platforms responsible for nuclear warhead management and deployment.
Tensions between the US and China escalated following an incident in February when a surveillance balloon near the US coast was shot down, leading to a halt in communication between the two governments. This event exacerbated the already strained relations between the nations.
Notably, the US has extended military support to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while Xi has offered economic and diplomatic backing to Vladimir Putin. The involvement of these powers on opposing sides in the Ukraine conflict has further complicated the geopolitical landscape.
In efforts to de-escalate tensions, Biden and Xi are expected to address the issue of AI in weaponry during the upcoming summit. Both leaders aim to find common ground on this matter despite their divergent stances on various international conflicts.
During a previous conference at Bletchley Park, UK, the US and China, along with other nations, committed to collaborating on mitigating the risks associated with AI technology. Moreover, they were among the signatories of an agreement in The Hague endorsing the responsible use of AI in defense applications earlier this year.
While both the US and China have been incorporating AI into their military strategies, concerns have been raised regarding the deployment of autonomous weapons systems capable of independent target selection and engagement. Experts like Oriana Skylar Mastro from Stanford University emphasize the importance of human control over systems involving nuclear weapons.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, when questioned about the potential for a US-China agreement on AI in nuclear arms, refrained from divulging specifics but emphasized the US stance against AI involvement in nuclear weapon decision-making processes.
