US Leadership in Global AI Standards: China’s Response?

OpenAI has recently expressed its desire for the United States to spearhead a global initiative aimed at establishing AI standards. This announcement coincides with a significant week of diplomatic discussions focused on AI safety coordination between representatives from China and the United States. can Beijing be expected to trust Washington to set these global standards?

In a blog post released on Monday, OpenAI urged the U.S. government to engage with existing AI safety organizations, such as the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI). The goal is to collaborate with other nations to “create global technical standards for advanced AI technologies, including recursive self-improvement (RSI).” RSI refers to the process where AI systems autonomously enhance their own capabilities. Although fully automated RSI is not yet a reality, OpenAI believes that, if approached safely, it is a worthy objective.

OpenAI noted, “Standards established through this initiative would create a shared technical foundation for measuring capabilities, assessing risks, and ensuring adequate safeguards.” The organization clarified that these technical standards would not equate to licenses, mandatory pre-release reviews, or approval requirements for AI models. Rather, individual national governments would have the autonomy to decide how to integrate these standards into their legal frameworks.

CAISI, operating under the Department of Commerce, is the agency utilized by the Trump administration to evaluate new AI models. In partnership with organizations from nine other nations, CAISI forms part of the International Network for Advanced AI Measurement, Evaluation, and Science. This coalition aims to address the uneven distribution of AI expertise and the current fragmented and potentially conflicting global understandings of AI safety, as highlighted by OpenAI.

OpenAI argues that the United States is uniquely positioned to take on this leadership role. The U.S. AI industry stands at the forefront of technological advancement and maintains a privileged position in critical sectors such as finance, trade, defense, technology, and information systems. According to OpenAI, geopolitical competition will increasingly revolve around not only technological superiority but also the adoption and diffusion of AI technologies. The nation that fosters realistic cooperation and establishes sensible regulations will likely lead the way as businesses and societies globally invest in this transformative technology.

In essence, OpenAI is making the case that if the U.S. successfully leads the development of a global AI safety framework, it will enhance its position in the worldwide AI landscape, potentially securing an edge over China in the ongoing AI race.

This argument appears to be OpenAI’s primary strategy to garner support from Washington, especially given the concerns expressed by American politicians, particularly within the Trump administration, regarding the need to maintain the competitive edge of the American AI sector over its Chinese counterparts.

Earlier this month, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, published an essay urging the government to intervene and slow the pace of AI development. He warned of potentially catastrophic scenarios if the current trajectory of AI advancements continues unchecked. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman supported Amodei’s concerns, and OpenAI executives traveled to Washington to discuss the issue with lawmakers. the company endorsed two legislative proposals aimed at creating federal AI safety frameworks and establishing mechanisms for audits.

The idea of a government-backed slowdown has faced strong criticism, including pushback from President Trump. He argued that if the U.S. were to slow its progress, China could continue advancing and develop AI capabilities that surpass those of American companies. There is significant concern among China hawks in Washington that such an advantage could pose serious threats to U.S. interests, making a globally coordinated slowdown—potentially involving Beijing—a necessary condition for the U.S. government to consider this idea seriously.

Although it seems unlikely that China would accept a global framework predominantly shaped by U.S. rules, Beijing has long advocated for international cooperation on AI, albeit under its own terms.

“AI development should not be a solo performance by a single country, but a symphony of international cooperation,” stated Chinese President Xi Jinping at the World AI Conference in Shanghai this summer. During this event, China announced the formation of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, which includes 29 member nations, among them major economies like Brazil and Russia.

Chinese and American officials began preliminary discussions on this issue ahead of this week’s meetings. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent mentioned that U.S. officials proposed an emergency notification system to notify each other about AI incidents that could threaten national security. Xi and Trump are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss AI safety.

OpenAI is expected to play a significant role in these discussions; CEO Sam Altman is set to address the UN Security Council, which includes representatives from both China and the U.S., on Wednesday before attending the U.S.-China state dinner on Thursday.

Even if China can be convinced to allow the United States to take the lead in defining global AI standards, it remains uncertain whether other nations would support such an arrangement—especially given the Trump administration’s history of alienating long-standing allies through its confrontational trade policies.