US-China AI dialogue reflects structural competition in global tech governance
Original framing: “Renewed US-China AI dialogue serves American security interests: former officials” — South China Morning Post
The US-China AI dialogue echoes the Cold War-era space race, where technological superiority was equated with ideological dominance. However, unlike the space race, AI governance today requires collaboration with a broader range of actors, including the Global South and civil society.
The US-China AI dialogue is a microcosm of a broader struggle over the future of global technology governance.
While the dialogue is framed as a security imperative, it is more fundamentally a contest over whose values and systems will shape AI development. Indigenous knowledge, cross-cultural perspectives, and marginalized voices offer alternative frameworks that emphasize ethics, sustainability, and inclusivity. To move forward, we need a multilateral governance model that integrates these diverse perspectives and prioritizes the well-being of all people and the planet. The trickster in this narrative reminds us that the current framing obscures deeper truths about power and responsibility in the AI age.