US-China Tensions Simmer Amid AI Summit; Experts Debate Future of AI Safety Measures Amid Regulatory Surge

US and China join 27 other countries in signing Bletchley Declaration at first AI Safety Summit; experts criticize alleged "regulatory capture" by tech companies amidst growing tensions.

The first-ever AI Safety Summit took place in the U.K., wherein the U.S. and China, along with 27 other countries, signed the Bletchley Declaration, committing to international cooperation on identifying and mitigating AI-related risks.
The relationship between the U.S. and China in the realm of AI has been strained due to their competition for tech supremacy, U.S. restrictions on Chinese access to AI-driving technology, and differing viewpoints on AI model sharing and development rights.
Despite the tensions, some experts maintain that cooperation on AI safety regulation, like that achieved during the Cold War with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, could be possible between the two countries without a significant transformation in overall relations.
While the summit generated collaboration in terms of AI safety, it has been criticized for being influenced by large tech companies, who allegedly use fear tactics about the potential dangers of AI to maintain control and hinder regulation beneficial to smaller startups.
Contrasting views between tech giants on the approach to AI regulation and concerns of 'regulatory capture' by large corporations have sparked intense debate, particularly focusing on the dichotomy between addressing long-term catastrophic risks and current short-term harms.