Opinion: The U.S. Must Address China's AI Ambitions Before It's Too Late

The recent White House memo on advancing U.S. leadership in AI, published on October 24th, highlights the increased recognition of AI technology's role in the future of the global economy and U.S. national security. But, the U.S. is not alone in its AI endeavors. China, our greatest geopolitical and economic rival, has its own AI agenda. China's AI ambitions threaten to clash with U.S. geopolitical interests, national security, and democratic values. 

This memo represents the most comprehensive U.S. government policy on the future of AI. It outlines three primary strategies for the U.S. approach to AI: 1) Promote U.S. national security objectives through AI's safe and ethical use. 2) Partner with the Private sector and academia to produce safe and trustworthy AI. 3) Work toward creating an international framework for AI governance. This memo was essential for the U.S. AI strategy moving forward. The memo makes no direct mention of China, but make no mistake: Beijing is the primary adversary and competitor in all things AI.

China's AI strategy, as outlined in its "New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan," makes clear its goal to be a global leader in AI technology by 2030: "AI has become a new focus of international competition. AI is a strategic technology that will lead in the future; the world's major developed countries are taking the development of AI as a major strategy to enhance national competitiveness and protect national security."

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is relentlessly pursuing a strategy of civil-military integration that incorporates AI technology into its military modernization efforts. In doing so, China likely hopes to gain a technological advantage over the U.S. and thus increase its influence in East Asia and the world. Moreover, China's investment in autonomous weapons, AI surveillance, and AI-powered cyber attacks will significantly threaten U.S. strategic interests.

These AI advancements raise serious concerns about the military balance of power and deterrence capabilities in East Asia, especially in regard to Taiwan, which China has repeatedly threatened. AI will inevitably revolutionize warfare, making conflicts faster, more complex, and more challenging for humans to control. 

China's integration of AI into its military decision-making process similarly challenges U.S. national security and strategic deterrence. As AI systems become more integrated into command structures and trusted with more responsibility, the potential for catastrophic consequences greatly increases. Moreover, the efficiency at which AI can process information and make decisions could drastically reduce the time available for human intervention, increasing the risk of unintended escalation.

Beijing's use of AI won't be limited to the military. Chinese propaganda will take an entirely new form with the use of AI. Fake videos, audio, and images will become easier to produce and more convincingly realistic. Should China aim to spread massive amounts of disinformation, it would be easier than ever to do so, sowing chaos across societies.  

Furthermore, China's deployment of AI for mass surveillance represents a terrifyingly dystopian aspect of AI deployment. The use of this technology to track, suppress, and persecute ethnic minorities like the Uighurs should raise serious ethical concerns. 

So, what can the U.S. do to address this threat? 

To begin with, the U.S. must follow through and expand on the commitments made in the recent memo. These directives are a massive step in the right direction to position the U.S. well to adapt to AI advancement challenges. That being said, the memo fails to address the threat of an AI arms race with China, nor China's AI ambitions. 

The U.S. must directly address China's AI ambitions and create specific measures to counteract and prepare for the threats that it creates. While issues such as safety and regulation within the U.S. are critical and should be a focus of the U.S. government, we cannot afford to allow AI to become an arms race. 

The U.S. should take two primary actions when addressing China's AI ambitions. First, the U.S. should directly address the threat posed by China's use of AI in the military, propaganda, and surveillance. By drawing attention to these uses and highlighting their danger, the U.S. can better formulate international strategies to counter and mitigate the dangerous use of AI technology. Furthermore, the U.S. should actively develop the capabilities to counter China's use of AI in these ways.

However, this direct approach should be accompanied by significant diplomatic engagement with Beijing to prevent dangerous escalation and establish new norms during rapid technological advancement. The biggest threat, by far, is the risk of miscalculation and rapid escalation in an AI arms race. Neither country would benefit from this outcome, and it must be avoided at all costs. 

To prevent an arms race, Washington should seek to establish regular dialogue with Beijing to ensure AI guardrails and safety standards. This engagement could include creating joint working groups on AI safety and establishing hotlines for AI-related incidents. 

Artificial intelligence will have a massive impact on our lives and the world. With great possibility comes immense challenges. By addressing the threat that China's AI endeavors pose, the U.S. can take steps toward ensuring that AI becomes a tool that benefits humanity and not a new arms race. 

The opinions and views expressed in this article are my own and not representative of any company or organization I work for.