The United States and China are preparing to hold talks on artificial intelligence safety risks in mid-September, according to two sources briefed on the planning.

Reuters first reported the tentative schedule on September 4. The discussions would mark the first official bilateral meetings devoted exclusively to AI between the two nations since President Donald Trump returned to office.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to lead the American side. On the Chinese side, Vice Premier He Lifeng or Politburo Standing Committee member Ding Xuexiang could participate, the sources said.

The agenda is expected to include cooperation on monitoring AI-directed cyberattacks. One proposal under discussion would have U.S. and Chinese AI labs share information and take steps to prevent misuse that could lead to such attacks.

A White House official stated there is currently no planned AI-related meeting in mid-September. The reported dialogue comes ahead of a planned September 24 summit in Washington between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The groundwork for renewed AI discussions was laid during a Trump-Xi meeting in May 2026. That agreement followed a roughly two-year gap since the previous dedicated U.S.-China AI dialogue in Geneva in 2024.

The talks would keep AI safety issues separate from U.S. export controls on advanced chips. Both sides have signaled interest in voluntary self-monitoring by AI labs and information-sharing frameworks on emerging risks.