U. S. and China Cooperation in AI Development
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has recently called for enhanced collaboration between the United States and China on artificial intelligence development. He emphasized the need for China to be a major player in ensuring the safety of global AI development, without mentioning the fact that his company’s products like ChatGPT are not available in China. This call for collaboration on ‘mitigating risk’ is part of Altman’s quest to convince the world to regulate his industry.
Altman’s Advocacy on AI Regulation
Unlike other tech leaders, Altman has been eager to meet with policymakers around the world to encourage and influence the development of AI regulations. With China taking AI regulation seriously and Chinese companies not posing immediate threats to Altman’s business interests, his appeals to China’s AI community make sense. However, U. S. lawmakers often argue against regulation, claiming that China is on the verge of overtaking American AI leadership.
International AI Standards
In his Senate testimony, Altman claimed to be interested in international standards and suggested that companies like his can ‘partner’ with governments on establishing and updating safety requirements. This globally minded attitude might help OpenAI attract China’s AI talent or gain access to the Chinese market. However, the Biden Administration seems more inclined to cooperate exclusively with U. S. allies in developing AI standards.
Regulation Debate
The debate about AI regulation has the potential to pit China hawks against big-tech hawks, as lawmakers navigate the politics of AI regulations. As this unfolds, players like Altman will continue attempting to shape regulations to align with their company’s mission statements and bottom lines, while advocating for a more cooperative approach between the U. S. and China in AI development.
