The ReadJune 24, 2026via Wired AI
I Met With China’s Top AI Experts. They’re Freaking Out, Too
Why it matters
The US-China AI competition is driving safety concerns on both sides. When adversaries agree on existential risk, it signals a genuine governance crisis that boards need to factor into AI strategy and regulatory positioning.
Key signals
- Chinese AI experts expressing concern about 'Chernobyl moment' in AI arms race
- US-China AI competition creating shared safety anxieties across both research communities
- First-hand account from direct engagement with Chinese AI leadership
- Implicit signal that safety/governance is breaking through geopolitical divides
The hook
Nobody is talking about this: Chinese AI researchers are as worried about the arms race as we are.
The AI arms race between China and the US has researchers on both sides worried about a “Chernobyl moment.”