AI glitch almost sparked confrontation
During his speech at the United Nations on Tuesday, Trump boasted new York that the USA would be far ahead of China in questions of artificial intelligence. Beijing’s diplomats in the room listened to the president’s words with stony faces, like they were at a game of poker. In China people are aware of their own power in this area. The US lead continues to shrink.
But artificial intelligence in particular is hardly a game, but rather a rivalry that can also lead to dangerous reality. It recently became known that an error caused one AI on the American side almost triggered a direct military confrontation between the USA and China – with unforeseeable consequences.
A US intelligence report concluded that a Chinese ship in the Middle East was transporting components for a nuclear weapons program. The military then prepared an operation to intercept and possibly board the ship. Military aircraft were already in the air when it was discovered that the basis for the report had been created using an AI chatbot. The ship’s cargo was misidentified. The operation was canceled.
The US attempt to slow down China
It’s just an example of what can happen when these systems make mistakes – and can suddenly have serious consequences in terms of security policy. This is also why technology is at the top of Trump and Xi’s agenda this Thursday. The US President, or at least the strategists in the background, should have long since realized what is at stake in this race. But what can be done to contain or at least slow down China’s influence in this area?
The US government has recently refrained from taking further measures, particularly when it comes to export controls for modern chips that are required for artificial intelligence. The concern in the White House: A new strike against China could not only endanger an understanding between Trump and Xi, but also the American economy.
When it comes to urgently needed raw materials, rare earths, China had already taught the US government a rather unpleasant lesson. Trump wanted to put pressure on China with massive tariffs, but Xi hit back with a temporary export ban, hitting a point where American tech companies are directly vulnerable. This dispute showed how highly explosive these ultimate questions of power are.
