China | Technology and power

Is Xi Jinping an AI doomer?

China’s elite is split over artificial intelligence

An angel robot and a devil robot sitting on Xi 's shoulders, the devil robot whispering in his ears
Illustration: Alva Skog

IN JULY last year Henry Kissinger travelled to Beijing for the final time before his death. Among the messages he delivered to China’s ruler, Xi Jinping, was a warning about the catastrophic risks of artificial intelligence (AI). Since then American tech bosses and ex-government officials have quietly met their Chinese counterparts in a series of informal gatherings dubbed the Kissinger Dialogues. The conversations have focused in part on how to protect the world from the dangers of AI. American and Chinese officials are thought to have also discussed the subject (along with many others) when America’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, visited Beijing from August 27th to 29th.

Explore more

This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Is Xi Jinping an AI doomer?”

From the August 31st 2024 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from China

An installation that is part of an exhibition by Ai Weiwei, a Chinese artist, depicts his detention

An outrage that even China’s supine media has called out

Anger is growing over a form of detention linked to torture and deaths

Signage of the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Why foreign law firms are leaving China

A number of them are in motion to vacate


Electric vehicles in a factory car park in Chongqing, China

An initiative so feared that China has stopped saying its name

“Made in China 2025” has been a success, but at what cost?


A pay rise for government workers sparks anger and envy in China

The effort to improve morale has not had the intended effect

A big earthquake causes destruction in Tibet

Dozens are dead, thousands of buildings have been destroyed