Rogue AI is the new nuclear weapon. Trump and Xi must disarm it before it disarms us

The U.S.-China summit has come and gone, and artificial intelligence was a key topic of discussion. There were reportedly no major breakthroughs, but diplomacy takes time. It also takes willpower and commitment, especially with complicated, critically important topics such as highly advanced AI.President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet in-person two more times before the end of the year. They have an opportunity in the coming months to broker the greatest diplomatic deal of our lifetime.Most Americans were recently unaware of the real risks of highly advanced AI. But things have changed. It has quickly become the most important topic of our era, and there is a groundswell of support for our leaders to make wise, urgent decisions. It is time for the United States and China to set aside their differences on this topic and come to an agreement for the benefit of all humanity.Ronald Reagan provides a powerful precedent that should inspire Trump. Reagan was an anti-communist hawk who became the most celebrated hero of the conservative movement because his bold leadership ended the Cold War on terms that were good for all of humanity.In the 1980s, the stakes were very high. There was a real risk and fear of nuclear war. Both President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev realized the severe gravity of the situation and negotiated to reduce their nuclear arsenals significantly and decrease the risk of global destruction. This soon led to the end of the Cold War and brought on a new era of increased peace, prosperity, and stability.The stakes are even higher today than they were in the 1980s. Highly advanced AI has just as much potential for mass destruction as nuclear weapons did in the 1980s, if not more. The most advanced computer scientists in the world can’t control it, as evidenced by the known rogue AI incidents that are becoming too common. The risks posed by this rogue behavior increase as the technology rapidly becomes even more powerful. Leading researchers often project at least a 10% chance that highly advanced AI could kill all human beings. AI experts seriously worry about existential risks and catastrophic scenarios.Reagan addressed the existential threat of his era. He believed passionately in the power of both strength and diplomacy to solve problems. Reagan bolstered U.S. military and defense spending while simultaneously prioritizing diplomacy to negotiate for peace.Decades later, we forget the frightening realities of the Cold War era. People truly worried about nuclear war, and there was a very real risk of it. Today, Americans are increasingly worried about advanced AI’s impact on humanity. Three-quarters of U.S. adults believe that Silicon Valley isn’t doing enough to prevent an AI disaster, and Trump himself has called AI “maybe the most dangerous thing out there.”Trump has an opportunity to achieve a legacy on par with Reagan’s, but he must act as soon as possible and work with Xi to limit the most catastrophically risky forms of AI globally before it is too late. An international agreement could give humans enough time to make sure we harness this powerful technology in highly beneficial ways and avoid mass destruction. Recent rogue AI incidents have provided a vivid warning: we don’t yet know how to control the machines reliably.OPINION: FORGET DRONES: UKRAINE’S MOST LETHAL EXPORT IS DATAReagan and Gorbachev share a tremendous legacy because of their transcendent leadership. Very few leaders get an opportunity of this scale to make such a large and lasting impact for all of humanity, but Trump and Xi have the opportunity to do so. They have the potential to be the Reagan and Gorbachev of this era — and truly save the world.Doing so should surely merit them both a Nobel Peace Prize.Lauren Daugherty is CEO of American Shield, which helps Americans better understand the risks of artificial intelligence.