US-China AI Rivalry Intensifies Amidst Calls for Development Slowdown

Key Intelligence

• ■Chinese state media has strongly rejected Western calls for a global AI slowdown, labeling them as 'self-serving' and 'fearmongering' attempts by the US to maintain its technological lead.
• ■Both the US and China view the development of AI as a critical component of national security and economic supremacy, leading to an escalating 'silent cold war' in the technology sector.
• ■China is actively closing the AI technology gap with the US, promoting open-source AI development (e.g., for BRICS nations), while the US implements measures to curb high-tech exports to China.
• ■Concerns are high on both sides: China's spy chief warns that US AI models threaten the Communist Party's survival, while the US worries about Chinese AI 'distillation' and cyber threats.
• ■There's a recognition that any global AI 'pause' or effective guardrails would be impossible without China's full participation, yet US-led frameworks are currently seen as a non-starter by Beijing.