U.S. can hold AI talks with China because ‘we are in the lead,’ Bessent tells CNBC as nations plan safety protocol

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The U.S. can talk to China about AI because "we are in the lead," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC, as the countries unveiled a protocol on best practices for the rapidly improving technology.

"The two AI superpowers are gonna start talking. We're gonna set up a protocol in terms of how do we go forward with best practices for AI to make sure non-state actors don't get a hold of these models," Bessent told Joe Kernen on Thursday, on the sidelines of President Donald Trump's two-day meeting in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"The reason we are able to have wholesome discussions with the Chinese on AI is because we are in the lead," he added. "I do not think we would be having the same discussions if they were this far ahead of us," he said.

U.S.-based Anthropic has alarmed many in Washington and other countries with the Mythos AI model, which is supposed to have powerful cyberattack capabilities. The company said it would initially release it to select business partners.