{"slug": "americas-biggest-risk-on-ai-is-china-getting-ahead-bessent-says", "title": "America’s ‘biggest risk’ on AI is China getting ahead, Bessent says", "summary": "US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the biggest risk in artificial intelligence is China getting ahead of the United States, outweighing concerns over safety or job losses. He warned of retaliation against any attempt to weaponize supply chains and emphasized the need for the US to maintain its technological lead.", "body_md": "# America’s ‘biggest risk’ on AI is China getting ahead, Bessent says\n\nUS Treasury secretary also warns there will be retaliation against any attempt to ‘weaponise supply chains’\n\n[artificial intelligence](https://www.scmp.com/topics/artificial-intelligence?module=inline&pgtype=article)was the “biggest risk” of the technology – outweighing concerns over safety or job losses.\n\n“The biggest risk to AI is China getting ahead of us,” Bessent said at the Economic Club of New York, adding that China’s willingness to discuss AI underscored America’s technological lead.\n\n“I am one of the point people on our AI policy. I am the point person in terms of the economic relationship with China,” he said.\n\n“I could tell you that the reason the Chinese are willing to have a discussion on AI is because we are ahead, so we have to stay ahead.”\n\n[Both countries](https://www.scmp.com/topics/us-china-relations?module=inline&pgtype=article)agreed to hold formal discussions on AI governance following\n\n[talks](https://www.scmp.com/topics/2026-xi-trump-summits?module=inline&pgtype=article)between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing last month.\n\nChinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said in May: “As two leading AI powers, China and the United States need to work together to promote the development and improve the governance of AI to make sure that it will better contribute to the progress of human civilisation and common welfare of the international community.”", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/americas-biggest-risk-on-ai-is-china-getting-ahead-bessent-says", "canonical_source": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3358129/americas-biggest-risk-ai-china-getting-ahead-bessent-says?utm_source=rss_feed", "published_at": "2026-06-24 03:00:26+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-24 03:23:19.223627+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-policy", "ai-safety"], "entities": ["Scott Bessent", "China", "United States", "Economic Club of New York", "Donald Trump", "Xi Jinping", "Guo Jiakun"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/americas-biggest-risk-on-ai-is-china-getting-ahead-bessent-says", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/americas-biggest-risk-on-ai-is-china-getting-ahead-bessent-says.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/americas-biggest-risk-on-ai-is-china-getting-ahead-bessent-says.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/americas-biggest-risk-on-ai-is-china-getting-ahead-bessent-says.jsonld"}}