Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged President Donald Trump to use upcoming talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping to push Beijing toward cooperation on artificial intelligence safety.
Clinton Wants Trump to Enlist China on AI Safety
“The Trump administration has a huge opportunity to enlist China in the effort to rein in AI when President Xi visits in two weeks,” Clinton said in a post on X. “They should take it.”
She also cited a New York Times report saying Chen Yixin, China’s minister of state security, warned that AI could pose a direct threat to the Chinese Communist Party’s grip on power.
China’s Spy Chief Warns of AI Threats
Chen reportedly called for stronger government oversight of AI, citing risks ranging from political instability and misinformation to cyberattacks, espionage and military competition.
He also pointed to the growing capabilities of AI systems developed by U.S. companies, warning that foreign intelligence agencies could use the technology for large-scale espionage or to target China’s critical infrastructure.
Chen’s concerns reportedly extend to deepfakes and AI-generated content that could undermine political stability, as well as sensitive information being exposed through the use of foreign AI models.
Clinton Compares AI Risks to 9/11, COVID
Last week, speaking on MS NOW, Clinton said the U.S. should not wait for a major AI crisis before taking action.
“The alarm bells are going off,” Clinton said, pointing to warnings from AI leaders about potential dangers from increasingly powerful systems.
She also compared the current debate to the “failure of imagination” cited after the 9/11 attacks and the preparedness failures exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clinton argued that Washington should move quickly on AI policy and use Trump’s meeting with Xi as an opening for cooperation.
“Get off social media,” Clinton said, urging the administration to focus on AI policy rather than distractions and figure out sensible regulation.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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