DeepSeek to brief UN Security Council on AI risks

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is scheduled to brief the United Nations Security Council this week on the risks associated with artificial intelligence, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The 15-member Security Council is set to convene on Wednesday during the annual UN General Assembly in New York to address AI and international security.

This briefing follows recent calls from AI industry leaders for a coordinated slowdown in the development of powerful AI systems, citing concerns about them potentially surpassing human control. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is expected to participate, along with senior representatives from Anthropic. DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng, however, does not plan to attend, though plans remain fluid. Chinese AI firms Moonshot have also been invited to make statements.

The UN Security Council, responsible for maintaining international peace and security, previously met on AI risks in 2023. At that time, China cautioned against AI becoming a "runaway horse," while the US warned against its use for censorship and repression. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also voiced concerns about the escalating risks of AI, contrasting with US President Donald Trump's view that existing safeguards are adequate and that doubt cast on AI development would benefit China.

Chinese state media has characterized calls for an AI development slowdown as a "Cold War playbook" aimed at maintaining US technological dominance and excluding Beijing from global AI governance. Unlike their Western counterparts, leaders of major Chinese AI model developers have largely remained silent on the potential for advanced AI systems to deceive humans, evade control, or cause catastrophic harm. Following a meeting ahead of President Xi Jinping's scheduled talks with President Trump, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that senior US and Chinese officials have agreed to further discussions on AI safety.