Former Vice President Kamala Harris has called for the United States to pursue a treaty with China aimed at slowing the development of advanced artificial intelligence, joining a growing debate among technology leaders and policymakers over the pace of AI innovation. Harris argued on Monday that while the U.S. must continue to lead in AI development, it should also impose common-sense safety standards through international cooperation.
The proposal follows recent comments from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who urged the industry to slow the development of increasingly capable systems. Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and other prominent technology executives have subsequently expressed support for Amodei’s call for caution. However, the initiative faces significant headwinds from the current administration, Chinese officials, and several tech industry leaders who argue that unilateral pauses or treaties could disadvantage the United States in a critical technological race.
What the Left Is Saying
Former Vice President Kamala Harris stated that the U.S. must protect its interests by pursuing a treaty with countries like China to stop dangerous uses of AI, limit the speed of its development, and adopt global standards for testing. "The United States must continue to lead the world in developing AI technology even as we seek to impose common-sense safety standards," Harris said. "The president must do his job to protect America’s interests by pursuing a treaty with countries like China to stop dangerous uses of AI, limit the speed of its development, and adopt global standards for testing."
This perspective aligns with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who recently urged the industry to slow the development of advanced AI systems. Amodei’s call for caution has been echoed by other major figures in the technology sector, including Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, suggesting a segment of the industry believes that rapid, unregulated advancement poses risks that require international coordination.
What the Right Is Saying
President Donald Trump argued against slowing AI development, emphasizing the strategic importance of maintaining American leadership in the field. "We’re leading China in AI," Trump said. "We’re the most sophisticated country in the world, and frankly, I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI, wins."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent characterized China as an "unreliable partner," citing historical instances where Beijing failed to meet commitments. Bessent noted that China has been an unreliable global partner three times in the past five years: during the pandemic by hoarding healthcare products, by restricting rare earth mineral exports in 2025, and by stockpiling oil during the U.S.-Israeli conflict in Iran while cutting off exports of other products. "They continued buying, and they’ve been hoarding, and they have cut off exports of many products," Bessent said.
David Sacks, former White House AI and cryptocurrency czar and current co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, expressed skepticism about China's willingness to participate in such agreements. "China is very unlikely to join a global agreement, as you know, and that has to be taken into account as well," Sacks wrote.
Palantir CEO Alex Karp argued that competition with China makes a unilateral American pause untenable. "If we didn’t have adversaries, I would be very in favor of pausing this technology completely, but we do," Karp told CNBC. "You can’t pause it because it’s a structural advantage."
What the Numbers Show
The debate over AI governance is set against a backdrop of historical trade and compliance issues between the U.S. and China. According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, China fell short of purchase commitments made in its 2020 Phase One trade agreement with the United States. Beijing pledged to buy an additional $200 billion in American goods and services during 2020 and 2021 but ultimately purchased none of that additional amount.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun dismissed the warnings from U.S. tech leaders and politicians as "fearmongering." "Fearmongering, confrontation and malicious competition will only disrupt the process of global AI governance and serve no one’s interests," Guo reportedly said at a news briefing. This response highlights the diplomatic friction surrounding potential regulatory frameworks for AI.
The Bottom Line
The proposal for a U.S.-China AI slowdown treaty highlights a deepening divide over how to manage the risks of advanced artificial intelligence. While former Vice President Harris and certain tech executives advocate for international standards and a measured pace of development, the Trump administration and industry leaders like Palantir’s Alex Karp argue that maintaining a competitive edge against China is paramount. The feasibility of such a treaty remains uncertain, given Beijing’s dismissal of the concerns and historical precedents of non-compliance with U.S. agreements. Future developments will likely depend on whether diplomatic channels can overcome these structural and political obstacles.