Scott Bessent announces first US-China AI safety talks
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on May 14, 2026, from Beijing that the United States and China will hold the first formal AI safety discussions of President Trump’s second term. The talks will focus on protocols to prevent powerful AI models from reaching nonstate actors such as hackers and terrorists. Bessent offered no start date for the negotiations.
> President Xi was very surprised at how well we've done with AI. When it started, they took this gigantic lead
what is bro talking about? Is it something about Sleepy Joe's sins again, declining America Trump has rescued?
#406Max Tegmark@TEGMARKTrump and Xi are now talking about AI guardrails
Aaron Rupar@atruparQ: On artificial intelligence, what did you get done with President Xi? TRUMP: We talked about possibly working together for guardrails. We probably will work together. We discussed almost everything you could discuss except for a reduction of tariffs.
#483Andrew Curran@ANDREWCURRAN_President Trump answering an AI policy question on Air Force One:
President Trump: 'We talked. We're leading, by a lot. But they're second, and they're very strong. And we talked about possibly working together for guardrails.'
Reporter: what kind of guardrails?
President Trump: 'The standard guardrails that we talk about all the time. AI is fantastic. So many things can happen in terms of health, and medicine. Operations. Everything. Military. So many things can happen. But it's also got some drawbacks. And we're talking about... We probably will, we're going to work together.'
Andrew Curran@AndrewCurran_President Trump answering an AI policy question on Air Force One: President Trump: 'We talked. We're leading, by a lot. But they're second, and they're very strong. And we talked about possibly working together for guardrails.' Reporter: what kind of guardrails? President Trump: 'The standard guardrails that we talk about all the time. AI is fantastic. So many things can happen in terms of health, and medicine. Operations. Everything. Military. So many things can happen. But it's also got some drawbacks. And we're talking about... We probably will, we're going to work together.'
#1262Prakash@8TEAPIWould you allow China access to the latest Nvidia chips in return for verifiable and reciprocal AI safety rules, including a safety monitor from their side sitting in our labs and from our side sitting in theirs ?
#1265Peter Wildeford🇺🇸🚀@PETERWILDEFORDReally great to see Trump potentially engage Xi on the questions of AI guardrails
Andrew Curran@AndrewCurran_President Trump answering an AI policy question on Air Force One: President Trump: 'We talked. We're leading, by a lot. But they're second, and they're very strong. And we talked about possibly working together for guardrails.' Reporter: what kind of guardrails? President Trump: 'The standard guardrails that we talk about all the time. AI is fantastic. So many things can happen in terms of health, and medicine. Operations. Everything. Military. So many things can happen. But it's also got some drawbacks. And we're talking about... We probably will, we're going to work together.'
#1265Peter Wildeford🇺🇸🚀@PETERWILDEFORDREPORTER: what kind of [AI] guardrails?
TRUMP: The standard guardrails that we talk about all the time.
...Never stop tweeting about AI guardrails folks
Andrew Curran@AndrewCurran_President Trump answering an AI policy question on Air Force One: President Trump: 'We talked. We're leading, by a lot. But they're second, and they're very strong. And we talked about possibly working together for guardrails.' Reporter: what kind of guardrails? President Trump: 'The standard guardrails that we talk about all the time. AI is fantastic. So many things can happen in terms of health, and medicine. Operations. Everything. Military. So many things can happen. But it's also got some drawbacks. And we're talking about... We probably will, we're going to work together.'
#1366Samuel Hammond 🦉@HAMANDCHEESE👀
Kevin Frazier@KevinTFrazierMuch more news than a potential Boeing deal out of China this AM. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/world/asia/china-us-ai-safety.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
#1394Seán Ó hÉigeartaigh@S_OHEIGEARTAIGHPromising! US and China will start discussing AI safety, according to Bessent.
Kevin Frazier@KevinTFrazierMuch more news than a potential Boeing deal out of China this AM. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/world/asia/china-us-ai-safety.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
Good comments from @SecScottBessent touching on AI safety and innovation, and seemingly crediting America’s lead over China with enabling us to have these talks with China about AI guardrails
I’ve been a proponent of the U.S. aiming to negotiate from a position of strength with China on AI guardrails, rather than either pure racing with no hope of negotiating or favoring diplomacy while taking U.S. racing off the table. Bessent’s comments support this approach
Daniel Eth (yes, Eth is my actual last name)@daniel_271828Good comments from @SecScottBessent touching on AI safety and innovation, and seemingly crediting America’s lead over China with enabling us to have these talks with China about AI guardrails
#1811Jordan Schneider@JORDANSCHNEIDERimpressive answer