Ahead of an expected meeting between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, unofficial ‘Track Two’ discussions between American and Chinese specialists on artificial intelligence have picked up pace. These informal channels, bringing together former officials, academics and industry figures without binding either government, are often used to test ideas before they reach formal negotiating tables.

Artificial intelligence has emerged as one of the most contested areas of US-China relations, touching export controls on advanced chips, military applications, and competing visions for how the technology should be governed globally. Both governments have talked publicly about the risks of an unconstrained AI race even as they continue to compete aggressively for advantage.

Should the leaders’ meeting proceed, AI is expected to sit alongside trade and security as a central topic, with each side likely to press the other on chip export restrictions and safety commitments. Observers caution that Track Two talks, while useful for surfacing options, rarely translate directly into government agreements.