China calls for global cooperation, downplays fear over AI risks

China has appealed to countries around the world to work together on artificial intelligence, saying that exaggerated narratives about the potential risks of AI could harm efforts towards global AI governance. According to China, given the pace at which AI technology is advancing, all countries need to come together to prepare rules and a framework for its safe use.

The issue has surfaced at a time when Dario Amodei, CEO of American AI company Anthropic, has called for slowing the pace of AI model development to some extent, citing national security concerns. This has reignited debate over the intense competition in the AI sector and the security questions it raises.

According to China, AI is no longer a technology limited to any one country. Its impact is being felt on the economy, defence, education, health and everyday life. China has therefore said that international cooperation is necessary for the development of AI. China has stated clearly that instead of spreading fear about AI technology, there should be a global discussion on how to ensure its safe and responsible use. China has particularly emphasised increasing technological cooperation so that developing countries too benefit from AI development.

On the other hand, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has said that the growing capability of AI could increase national security and safety risks. He has said that as increasingly capable AI models are built, their capabilities and the potential for misuse need to be examined seriously. This is why there are growing calls for AI companies to strengthen safety measures rather than simply making the technology more powerful. But China's view is that building genuine cooperation and a rules-based global system is more important than fear or alarming narratives.

There is already intense technological competition between the United States and China over AI. Both countries are pushing for cutting-edge AI models, chips, data and computing power. As a result, the issue of AI governance is no longer confined to technology alone but has become part of global politics.

Governments around the world now face two major questions: how fast AI development should proceed, and what rules are needed to rein it in. China has suggested the path of international cooperation, but concerns among American companies and experts over AI safety remain. In the coming period, the clash between AI development and AI safety is likely to intensify further.