A political battle over the ‘future of Artificial Intelligence (AI)’ has erupted online between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Senator Bernie Sanders over plan to include Chinese scientists in a high-profile AI safety forum. Sanders announced he will host a discussion on Wednesday, April 29, featuring top researchers from both the US and China, which caught Bessent’s attention.The panel includes figures like MIT’s Max Tegmark and experts from Beijing’s leading AI institutes. Sanders warned on social media that “uncontrolled AI poses a severe danger to all of humanity,” arguing that working with China is essential to prevent a global catastrophe.“Uncontrolled AI poses a severe danger to all of humanity. On Wednesday, I’ll be hosting a discussion with leading AI scientists from the US and China about the need for international cooperation against this existential threat. This is an enormously important issue. Join us,” Sanders said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Bessent’s uses ‘Hugo Chavez’ name to criticise Sanders
Bessent wasted no time firing back, characterizing the invite as a move that undermines American sovereignty and innovation.“The United States is home to the most talented AI researchers in the world,” Bessent stated, adding, “Instead of harnessing American innovation, Senator Sanders is inviting foreign nationals to tell the United States how to regulate AI.”Bessent took a personal jab at the Senator’s political history, comparing the move to “channeling Hugo Chavez to get advice on how to run our economy” – a reference to Sanders’ past comments on the former Venezuelan leader.According to Bessent, the “real threat” isn’t just the technology itself, but the risk of letting any nation other than the US set the global rules for how AI is built and governed.
The ‘tech war’ between US and China
The timing of the dispute is critical. The US and China are currently engaged in a rivalry for AI dominance. The Trump administration recently accused China-linked actors of stealing American AI models through a process called “distillation.”Meanwhile, China is reportedly banning homegrown companies to purchase US-made technology hardware. Furthermore, Beijing cited national security concerns and has asked the local players to not take American investment.
