WASHINGTON: The United States is preparing to tell dozens of countries they must choose between US and Chinese artificial intelligence initiatives as Washington seeks to strengthen its position in the intensifying global technology race.
An internal draft letter prepared by the State Department warns countries that participation in a competing initiative led by Beijing would be incompatible with membership in the US-backed Pax Silica framework.
The letter is addressed to 35 countries that signed Washington’s AI Opportunity Statement in June, signalling cooperation on AI models, semiconductors, critical minerals and related technologies.
Around two dozen countries have joined Pax Silica, including Japan, Australia, South Korea and Kazakhstan.
US-China AI rivalry
Kazakhstan has also joined China’s World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, launched by President Xi Jinping in July to promote international cooperation and Chinese open-weight AI technology.
The draft urges participating countries to “choose deliberately”, arguing that membership in Pax Silica cannot coexist with competing initiatives whose expectations conflict with the US framework.
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Washington hopes Pax Silica will strengthen supply chains for semiconductors and critical minerals while reducing reliance on strategic competitors.
The initiative also gives participating countries access to shared investment opportunities involving AI-related projects.
The move comes as Chinese open-weight AI models make rapid advances against proprietary systems developed by US companies, intensifying competition between Washington and Beijing for technological leadership.
