US and China should establish AI safety standards like nuclear-era safeguards, says lawmaker

The United States and China should establish international regulatory standards for artificial intelligence similar to nuclear-era safeguards, according to Ro Khanna, the ranking member of the US House Select Committee on China, who outlined his proposals in New York.

Khanna, a Democrat, called specifically for international inspections of leading AI laboratories, a ban on self-improving systems, and certification standards to prevent AI models from losing control or being misused. "I hope there will be an agreement between Trump and Xi Jinping to have some safety standards," Khanna told the South China Morning Post.

Proposals ahead of Washington summit

"To have a ban on recursive self-improving AI and also a certification standard and inspection standard to make sure we don't have AI models that lose control or that are misused," Khanna said.

The congressman's remarks come two days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to arrive in Washington to meet with US President Donald Trump for a closely watched summit where AI is expected to be on the agenda. The two countries agreed to establish a dialogue on the technology a day earlier.

Khanna said the two leaders planned to discuss AI but needed a concrete framework to reach an agreement. His call for atomic-era-style guardrails reflects growing concerns about advanced AI systems developing capabilities beyond human control.

The proposed international inspection regime would parallel Cold War-era nuclear verification mechanisms, applying oversight to cutting-edge AI research facilities in both nations.

Source: South China Morning Post