The growing tension between the United States and China threatens global cooperation on AI safety, warned Fu Ying, China's former vice minister of foreign affairs, during the Paris AI Action Summit. Fu voiced concern that political hostility could overwhelm efforts to limit the hazards involved with artificial intelligence, even as the technology advances at an unparalleled rate.
"At a time when the science is going in an upward trajectory, the relationship is falling in the wrong direction, and it is affecting unity and collaboration to manage risks," Fu told the audience during a panel discussion. Her comments highlighted the growing divide between the two AI superpowers, with competition taking precedence over collaboration.
During the meeting, Fu had a heated dispute about AI safety and openness with Professor Yoshua Bengio, a modern AI pioneer. The conversation focused on open-source AI development, with Fu asking for increased transparency to ensure risks are identified and dealt with cooperatively. "Open source offers humans better opportunities to detect and solve problems," she stated, criticizing large Western AI corporation's lack of transparency.
Bengio, on the other hand, argued that while open-source AI allows for greater scrutiny, it also raises security concerns by making powerful AI models available to people with malicious intent. "Open source also leaves the tech wide open for criminals to misuse," he warned. Despite their different perspectives, both experts acknowledged the difficulty of balancing AI safety with innovation.
Fu's warnings come as China's AI industry rapidly expands, with companies like DeepSeek threatening US dominance with cutting-edge, low-cost models. She highlighted the risks associated with China's fast-paced AI growth, noting, "When the pace is rapid, risky stuff occurs."
As global tensions rise, the ability of nations to cooperate on AI governance remains uncertain. The Paris summit, co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sought to address these concerns, but the US-China tensions loomed large over the discussions. It is still unclear whether AI safety can transcend political disputes.