The United States and China are both growing increasingly concerned about the safety and security of artificial intelligence (AI), a rapidly evolving technology with the potential to transform industries, national security, and global power dynamics. However, deep-seated distrust and intense competition between the two nations are making meaningful cooperation difficult, despite experts urging collaboration to address the most significant risks AI poses. AI has become a central element in the strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing, and it is expected to be a key topic during an upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Despite this, no formal AI-related discussions have yet been confirmed ahead of Xi’s visit. In the U.S., AI leaders and researchers have raised concerns about the pace of development, citing recent incidents involving autonomous systems. They have called for a slowdown in AI progress, while Trump has dismissed these warnings as a "hoax." However, he has also supported measures like export controls to ensure U.S. dominance in AI over China. China, on the other hand, does not share the same existential concerns about AI and views calls for a slowdown as an attempt to hinder its technological rise. Chinese officials argue that techniques like "illicit distillation" — the process of extracting knowledge from advanced AI models — are common and not exclusive to their country. Senior Chinese military official Colonel Zhu Qichao, who focuses on AI and national security, has called for cooperation with the U.S. while cautioning against "vicious competition." He emphasized that while AI offers great potential for humanity, it also brings significant risks that need to be managed. At a major defense forum in Beijing, experts from around the world discussed the growing pressure on countries to take sides in the U.S.-China AI race. Despite a prior agreement in May to hold high-level AI talks, no such discussions have been publicly confirmed ahead of Xi’s upcoming visit to the U.S. Experts suggest that a major crisis — similar to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis that pushed the U.S. and the Soviet Union to negotiate on nuclear weapons — may be necessary for the U.S. and China to find common ground on AI. Both nations increasingly view AI as a national security issue, with China imposing strict regulations on AI research and development, including travel restrictions for researchers working on sensitive technologies. While some experts believe there is still room for negotiation, they acknowledge that reaching a substantive agreement may be challenging in the near future. As AI continues to evolve, the need for dialogue between the two superpowers remains urgent, even if progress is slow.