US and China Agree: AI Should Not Control Nuclear Weapons

Biden and Xi agree on human control of nuclear weapons

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached a historic consensus during their recent meeting, emphasizing that decisions regarding the use of nuclear weapons must be managed by humans rather than artificial intelligence. On November 16, 2024, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru, the two leaders reiterated their stance that human oversight is essential in critical areas affecting global security. The White House stated, "The two leaders affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons." This is the first time China has articulated this position, marking a pivotal moment in US-China relations. The context of this agreement is crucial. Recent estimates indicate China's operational nuclear warhead count at approximately 500, with projections suggesting it could escalate to over 1,000 by 2030. In contrast, the US and Russia possess 1,770 and 1,710 operational warheads, respectively. At the meeting, Biden and Xi stressed the importance of prudent development of AI technologies within military applications, reflecting a growing recognition of the potential risks posed by AI systems. The agreement follows a period during which formal nuclear arms control negotiations between the US and China had been stalled. Despite a brief resumption of official-level discussions in November, expectations for comprehensive arms control talks have remained low. Jake Sullivan, Biden's National Security Advisor, characterized the agreement as a critical first step in addressing long-term strategic risks posed by both nuclear weapons and artificial intelligence. Employees demand Google cut ties with Israeli and other military contracts While both countries have previously engaged on nuclear proliferation concerns, discussions surrounding the role of AI in military strategies have been less formalized. The bilateral talks held in Geneva earlier this year, dedicated to AI, notably did not include discussions regarding nuclear decision-making. Biden's administration is advocating for continuity in the approach surrounding AI and nuclear arms, emphasizing stability as key to US-China relations. During the Lima summit, Xi Jinping reiterated China's commitment to maintaining sovereignty and stability amid tense US-China relations. He specifically cited Taiwan as one of four "red lines" that must not be crossed in discussions between the two powers, stressing that this issue, along with democracy and human rights characteristics of governance, are vital to China's national interests. Xi's statements come as he voiced willingness to engage with the incoming administration of Donald Trump, emphasizing cooperation despite existing tensions. The Chinese leader highlighted, "China is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences." These comments come in light of the uncertainty surrounding future US policies, especially concerning Xi's continuity strategy against pressures related to Taiwan and other geopolitical issues. Biden conveyed concerns regarding China's interactions with both North Korea and Russia during the talks, highlighting the need for China to influence North Korea to deter military support to Russia amid its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. The conflict over Taiwan remains a particular point of contention, with Biden emphasizing the need to navigate US-China relations prudently. The meeting also covered contentious trade issues, particularly regarding Biden's export controls on sensitive technology that have been a point of criticism from China. Xi expressed that restrictive policies, implemented to secure advanced tech, could undermine mutual development opportunities. He stated that "only mutually beneficial cooperation can lead to common development" and rejected the notion of protective trade barriers as detrimental to a major global power's aspirations. The Biden administration's export controls pertain to advanced semiconductor manufacturing tools and surveillance technologies, pivotal in maintaining a competitive edge in AI and military capabilities. Sullivan mentioned that Biden stressed the importance of continuing these trade measures, as they are fundamental to US national security strategies against perceived threats from Chinese technological advancements. As both leaders addressed the complexities of their relationship during this transitional period, the conversation indicated a desire from both sides to stabilize interactions amid evolving geopolitical challenges. The commitment to human control over nuclear weapons underscores an awareness of the importance of leading with caution in matters of significant consequence.

US, China agree not to give AI control over nuclear weapons use

US President Joe Biden and his China's President Xi Jinping at APEC Summit in Lima, Peru. The U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Lima, Peru where they discussed a number of topics - including nuclear weapons, and artificial intelligence (AI). Among the most important topics discussed in the meeting was the role to be played by AI in the years ahead, including its risks, steps needed to improve AI safety and international cooperation for the same. During the discussion, both Biden and Jinping agreed that AI should not be involved with any type of decision to use nuclear weapons. Both leaders agreed that there is a need to maintain human control over the use of nuclear weapons.

Biden, Xi agree that humans, not AI, should control nuclear arms

US President Joe Biden (L) speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru, November 16, 2024. U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Saturday that human beings and not artificial intelligence should make decisions over the use of nuclear weapons, according to the White House. "The two leaders affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons," the White House said in a statement. "The two leaders also stressed the need to consider carefully the potential risks and develop AI technology in the military field in a prudent and responsible manner." An official Chinese government summary of the meeting echoed this point. The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not clear whether the statement would lead to further talks or action on the issue. But it marks a first-of-its-kind step between the two countries in the discussion of two issues on which progress has been elusive: nuclear arms and artificial intelligence. Washington has been pushing Beijing for months to break a longstanding resistance to nuclear arms talks. The two countries briefly resumed official-level talks over nuclear arms in November but those negotiations have since stalled, with a top U.S. official publicly expressing frustration regarding China's responsiveness. Formal nuclear arms control negotiations have not been expected any time soon, despite U.S. concerns about China's rapid nuclear weapons build-up, even though semi-official exchanges have resumed. On artificial intelligence, China and the United States launched their first formal bilateral talks on the issue in May in Geneva, but those talks are not believed to have touched on nuclear weapons decision-making. The U.S. defense department estimated last year that Beijing has 500 operational nuclear warheads and will probably field more than 1,000 by 2030. That compares to 1,770 and 1,710 operational warheads deployed by the United States and Russia, respectively. The Pentagon said that by 2030, much of Beijing's weapons would probably be held at higher levels of readiness. Since 2020, China has also modernized its nuclear program, starting production of its next-generation ballistic missile submarine, testing hypersonic glide vehicle warheads and holding regular nuclear-armed sea patrols. Weapons on land, in the air and at sea give China the "nuclear triad" - a hallmark of a major nuclear power. China has not formally detailed its arsenal but officially maintains a policy of no first use and maintaining a modern nuclear deterrence that is minimal. Officials this year urged other powers to adopt the same stance. In recent semi-official exchanges with U.S. scholars and retired officials, Chinese academics said its policies remained unchanged and described Western assessments as "exaggerations." The Biden administration updated classified nuclear guidance this year, and a White House spokesperson previously said the update was "not a response to any single entity, country, nor threat," despite oft-expressed concern about the nuclear arsenals of China, North Korea and Russia.

US, China Agree That AI Shouldn't Control Nukes

President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met up in Peru over the weekend for a wide-ranging discussion that included both world leaders agreeing to each other's AI principles, including that only humans should control nuclear weapons. After the meeting, the White House and China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs published separate summaries of the event. Both stated that Biden and Jinping had a "constructive" conversation about AI and concluded that more international cooperation is needed to make sure AI is good for everyone. They also both agreed that humans, not AI, should be in control of nuclear weapons. The White House also said that both countries believe it's important that any AI for military purposes is developed with great caution. The relationship is not without strife. DJI is suing the US for adding it to a "Chinese military companies" list, which aims to prevent the Chinese government from accessing advanced technology under the disguise of a civilian operation. China has also reportedly used an open-source Llama AI model from Meta to make a military intelligence AI bot. Both countries have also accused each other of conducting cyberattacks. President Biden "raised deep concerns about ongoing PRC cyberattacks targeting civilian critical infrastructure and threatening the safety and security of Americans," the White House statement says. In its own statement, China says, "There is no evidence that supports the irrational claim of the so-called 'cyberattacks from China.' China itself is a target of international cyberattacks, and consistently opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks." Some Chinese hacking groups are believed to be "state-sponsored," meaning they have ties to the Chinese government or target China's opponents. A hacking group known as Salt Typhoon has been tied to breaches at T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T intended to access the phones of high-level officials, including President-elect Donald Trump. Chinese hackers have also been accused of spear-phishing OpenAI staff and using botnets for hacking, among other activities. The US and Chinese accounts of the Biden-Xi meeting seem mostly positive and in support of peace overall, though China warns that "a new Cold War should not be fought and cannot be won. Containing China is unwise, unacceptable, and bound to fail."

Biden, Xi agree that humans, not AI, should control nuclear arms

President Biden and President Xi Jinping have agreed that humans, not AI, should control nuclear weapons. This agreement, reached during a meeting between the two leaders, signifies a step forward in addressing the complex issues of nuclear arms and artificial intelligence.U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Saturday that human beings and not artificial intelligence should make decisions over the use of nuclear weapons, according to the White House. "The two leaders affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons," the White House said in a statement. "The two leaders also stressed the need to consider carefully the potential risks and develop AI technology in the military field in a prudent and responsible manner." An official Chinese government summary of the meeting echoed this point. The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not clear whether the statement would lead to further talks or action on the issue. But it marks a first-of-its-kind step between the two countries in the discussion of two issues on which progress has been elusive: nuclear arms and artificial intelligence. Washington has been pushing Beijing for months to break a longstanding resistance to nuclear arms talks. The two countries briefly resumed official-level talks over nuclear arms in November but those negotiations have since stalled, with a top U.S. official publicly expressing frustration regarding China's responsiveness. Formal nuclear arms control negotiations have not been expected any time soon, despite U.S. concerns about China's rapid nuclear weapons build-up, even though semi-official exchanges have resumed. On artificial intelligence, China and the United States launched their first formal bilateral talks on the issue in May in Geneva, but those talks are not believed to have touched on nuclear weapons decision-making. The U.S. defense department estimated last year that Beijing has 500 operational nuclear warheads and will probably field more than 1,000 by 2030. That compares to 1,770 and 1,710 operational warheads deployed by the United States and Russia, respectively. The Pentagon said that by 2030, much of Beijing's weapons would probably be held at higher levels of readiness. Since 2020, China has also modernized its nuclear program, starting production of its next-generation ballistic missile submarine, testing hypersonic glide vehicle warheads and holding regular nuclear-armed sea patrols. Weapons on land, in the air and at sea give China the "nuclear triad" - a hallmark of a major nuclear power. China has not formally detailed its arsenal but officially maintains a policy of no first use and maintaining a modern nuclear deterrence that is minimal. Officials this year urged other powers to adopt the same stance. In recent semi-official exchanges with U.S. scholars and retired officials, Chinese academics said its policies remained unchanged and described Western assessments as "exaggerations." The Biden administration updated classified nuclear guidance this year, and a White House spokesperson previously said the update was "not a response to any single entity, country, nor threat," despite oft-expressed concern about the nuclear arsenals of China, North Korea and Russia.

Biden, Xi agree they won't give AI control over nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Saturday that neither of their nations would turn over control of nuclear weapons to artificial intelligence programs, the White House said. "It's an important statement about the intersection of artificial intelligence and nuclear doctrine, and it is a reflection of how, even with the competition between the U.S. and the PRC, we could work on a responsible basis to manage risk in vital areas," White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters following the meeting, referring to an acronym for China's formal name. The agreement was not borne out of concern that either country was imminently going to hand over control of nuclear weapons to AI, but rather an acknowledgment that the two nuclear powers were leaders in the emerging technology, Sullivan said. "A good place to start is with the straightforward proposition that there should be human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons," he said. The agreement came during what is expected to be the last meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Lima. It comes despite what the White House acknowledged was continuing differences over export controls the U.S. has implemented on high-end semiconductors critical for a variety of uses, including AI development.

Biden, Xi Agreed That Humans, Not AI, Should Control Nuclear Weapons, White House Says

LIMA (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Saturday that human beings and not artificial intelligence should make decisions over the use of nuclear weapons, according to the White House. "The two leaders affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons," the White House said in a statement. "The two leaders also stressed the need to consider carefully the potential risks and develop AI technology in the military field in a prudent and responsible manner." This would mark the first time the two countries have made such a declaration. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Nick Zieminski)

Biden, Xi agreed that humans, not AI, should control nuclear weapons, White House says

LIMA (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Saturday that human beings and not artificial intelligence should make decisions over the use of nuclear weapons, according to the White House. "The two leaders affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons," the White House said in a statement. "The two leaders also stressed the need to consider carefully the potential risks and develop AI technology in the military field in a prudent and responsible manner." This would mark the first time the two countries have made such a declaration. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Nick Zieminski)

Biden, Xi Agree They Won't Give AI Control Over Nuclear Weapons

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Saturday that neither of their nations would turn over control of nuclear weapons to artificial intelligence programs, the White House said Saturday. "It's an important statement about the intersection of artificial intelligence and nuclear doctrine, and it is a reflection of how, even with the competition between the US and the PRC, we could work on a responsible basis to manage risk in vital areas," White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters following the meeting, referring to an acronym for China's formal name.

Chinese, U.S. Leaders Agree AI Cannot Control Nuclear Arms

"The two leaders affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons," the White House said in a statement. "The two leaders also stressed the need to consider carefully the potential risks and develop AI technology in the military field in a prudent and responsible manner." An official Chinese government summary of the meeting echoed this point. The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not clear whether the statement would lead to further talks or action on the issue. But it marks a first-of-its-kind step between the two countries in the discussion of two issues on which progress has been elusive: nuclear arms and artificial intelligence.

Biden and Xi take a first step to limit AI and nuclear decisions at their last meeting

LIMA, Peru -- President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday agreed that any decision to use nuclear weapons should be controlled by humans, not by artificial intelligence. It's the first time that China has made this statement, and it comes at a time when Biden is getting ready to leave office. But Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that the agreement was an important first step for the two nuclear powers to address a long-term strategic risk. Biden's goal in the meeting -- his last with Xi before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January -- was to emphasize the importance of stability in the relationship during the transition of power, and to try to cement gains he had made with Xi on issues like counternarcotics and climate. Xi said his country wants to work with the incoming Trump White House. "China is ready to work with the new U.S. administration to maintain communication, expand the cooperation and manage differences," Xi said, while also noting that "Our position of resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged." At the start of the 90-minute meeting, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Xi said the relationship between the two countries was "the world's most important bilateral relationship," a point Biden echoed. "How we get along together is going to impact the rest of the world," Biden said. Xi noted that the bilateral relationship had "gone through ups and downs" during Biden's term, and took specific aim at the Biden administration's export controls on advanced technology. The restrictions are used for advanced semiconductor manufacturing tools, the most advanced types of semiconductor chips and technology used in military systems, hypersonic missiles, autonomous systems, and surveillance. In his opening remarks, Xi spent considerable time talking about competition in "an age of flourishing sci-tech revolution" and said: "Only mutually beneficial cooperation can lead to common development. 'Small yard, high fences' is not what a major country should pursue" -- a direct reference to the export control policy. Biden's team is advocating to the incoming administration to carry on the export controls, Sullivan said. Leading up to the meeting, Sullivan had told reporters that he saw some continuity with the incoming Trump administration, singling out Rep. Mike Waltz, who Trump named as his national security adviser, and Sen. Marco Rubio, who Trump will nominate for Secretary of State, for their focus on the strategic challenges posed by China. Trump had made tariffs on imports of Chinese goods a feature of his first term in office -- tariffs that Biden largely kept in place -- and vowed during his campaign to hike tariffs on China again in his second term. Sullivan said Biden reiterated his concerns about Chinese trade practices during the meeting. He also said Biden expressed concerns over China's support for Russia's defense industrial base, and urged Xi to use his influence over North Korea to stop that country from sending more troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine.