What smart people are saying about China’s role in ‘pacing the frontier’

China has become the biggest question in one of AI’s most important debates.

The debate took on a new dimension this week after China’s top intelligence official published a rare essay warning that advanced AI poses major risks and requires stronger oversight, even as Beijing pushes to become a global AI leader.

The comments came days after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei reignited the debate over “pacing the frontier.” He argued that leading AI labs should slow the development of the most powerful models so safety can catch up, while maintaining a sufficient US lead over China through measures such as export controls and stronger AI security.

The debate also comes ahead of President Donald Trump’s White House meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with AI emerging as a key issue in US-China relations.

Here’s what smart people are saying about China’s role in pacing the AI frontier.