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At the first U.S.-China government dialogue focused on artificial intelligence, held in Geneva in May 2024, Washington said it had raised concerns about AI misuse, including by China. Beijing, in turn, objected to U.S. restrictions and pressure on China’s AI sector. The governments’ separate summaries of closed-door talks did not specify the alleged misuse or establish a shared account of the meeting.

What happened at the first U.S.-China AI dialogue?

The first U.S.-China intergovernmental talks focused on AI took place in Geneva in May 2024. They followed the November 2023 meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in San Francisco. The talks addressed AI risks and ways to manage them, according to the Associated Press’s account of the two governments’ statements. Associated Press

The meeting was held behind closed doors, and the governments published separate summaries rather than a joint transcript. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the two sides exchanged views on AI safety and risk management in “candid and constructive” discussions. China characterized the exchange as “in-depth, professionally, and constructively,” as reported by AP. These are each government’s descriptions, not a jointly agreed assessment of what was said.

What did the U.S. say about AI misuse?

Watson said the United States emphasized the importance of AI systems being safe, secure and trustworthy, and of building international consensus around those aims. She also said: “The United States also raised concerns over the misuse of AI, including by the PRC.” U.S. Department of State statement

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The public U.S. statement did not give an example of the misuse it meant. AP reported that Watson did not elaborate on the type of conduct or identify other actors involved. The public record therefore supports saying that Washington raised a broad concern; it does not establish a specific act by China.

Why did China object to U.S. AI restrictions?

China’s Foreign Ministry Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs said Beijing “expressed a stern stance on the U.S. restrictions and pressure in the field of artificial intelligence” against China. China’s account also acknowledged that AI brings both opportunities and risks. Associated Press

AP placed that objection in the context of U.S. export controls on advanced computer chips that can be used for AI and President Biden’s August 2023 executive order restricting certain U.S. investments in China’s AI industry. Those measures provide background to Beijing’s position; the reporting does not establish that every measure was specifically debated in the meeting. AP also noted China’s advocacy for a leading United Nations role in global AI governance.

What the two accounts do—and do not—show

The statements show that both governments publicly recognized AI risks and the value of communication, while disagreeing over how to handle security concerns and restrictions. They do not show that either side accepted the other’s framing: Washington raised “misuse,” without publicly specifying it, while Beijing focused on U.S. pressure. Because the meeting was closed and the accounts were separate, the specific claims, proposals and any areas of agreement beyond those public descriptions remain unclear.

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What changed after the 2024 meeting?

Official contact continued, but public statements show that the dispute over AI policy did not disappear. In September 2026, China’s Commerce Ministry rejected U.S. accusations that China-based AI firms had conducted distillation campaigns against U.S. models. It warned that efforts to contain Chinese firms on that rationale could prompt countermeasures. That is China’s official response; the statement alone does not independently establish the underlying U.S. allegations or the firms’ conduct. China’s Commerce Ministry statement

A White House fact sheet dated September 25, 2026, said the governments had established a “Super Intelligence (SI) Dialogue” to exchange views on risks and benefits. China’s September 28 statement also said it was willing to maintain intergovernmental AI exchanges. These statements indicate continued official dialogue, but the available public material does not establish how often the new channel will meet, what procedures govern it or whether it has produced concrete risk-management agreements. White House fact sheet and China’s September 28 statement

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