U.S. Draft Letter Urges 35 Nations to Pick Side on AI, Signals Rift with China

Key Points

• Leaked State Department draft urges 35 AI Opportunity Statement signatories to choose between U.S. Pax Silica and China’s AI cooperation body.
• Letter frames Pax Silica as a commitment to shared AI, semiconductor and critical mineral supply chains.
• Kazakhstan, the only country to join both U.S. and Chinese initiatives, is highlighted as a test case.
• China’s competing organization offers open‑weight AI models, contrasting with Pax Silica’s investment‑focused approach.
• The memo avoids naming China, calling rival initiatives “duplicative,” and stresses an exclusive partnership.
• European nations are not listed among the known members, hinting at a possible third‑way strategy.
• Analysts warn the binary choice could push countries toward self‑reliance or favor China’s open‑access model.