Can China and the West agree on global AI rules amid existential risks?

An international framework governing AI faces formidable obstacles that could hinder collaboration to regulate the fast emerging technology.

China ’s domestic use of the emerging technology and perception of the risks it entails remain highly divergent from those of Western countries.

The Chinese government is much more heavily involved in the actual development of AI technologies compared to those in Western economies.

China has signalled its ambitions to play a bigger role in setting global rules and standards over AI .

China proposed its own framework the Global AI Governance Initiative in October .

The UN resolution was co-sponsored by more than 140 countries, including the United States .

Despite differences between China and the West , there could be areas of shared interests that they could cooperate on, even if limited.

Jia said that while it would be a tall order for China to build a consensus with the West on some issues, including those that might appear to endanger the Chinese government’s grip on power, conversations should still take place. “Without conversation, there’s zero probability of finding common ground, no matter how small it is,” she said, while adding a cautionary note. “Conversation is necessary, but the hope of having a global AI [framework] that works for everybody should not be high.”.