Biden and Xi agree they won’t allow artificial intelligence control over nuclear weapons

The White House reported Saturday that US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed that neither of their countries would give over control of nuclear weapons to artificial intelligence programs.

Referring to an acronym for China’s official name, White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said to reporters following the conference, “It’s an important statement about the junction of artificial intelligence and nuclear doctrine, and it is a reflection of how, even with the competition between the US and the PRC, we could work on a responsible basis to manage risk in vital areas.”

Sullivan said the agreement was more of an acknowledgement that the two nuclear powers were leaders in developing technology than a fear that any nation was almost handing over the management of nuclear weapons to artificial intelligence.

“A good place to start is the simple idea that human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons should be present,” he remarked.

On the margins of the APEC conference in Lima, the agreement emerged during what is supposed to be the last meeting between the two presidents.

It comes despite what the White House admitted were ongoing disagreements about export restrictions the US has imposed on high-end semiconductors vital for a range of purposes, including artificial intelligence development.