DeepSeek to Brief UN Security Council on AI Risks This Week

DeepSeek joins major AI labs at UN briefing

DeepSeek, the Chinese AI startup that recently disrupted global markets with its cost-efficient models, has been invited to brief the United Nations Security Council on artificial intelligence risks this Wednesday, according to two sources familiar with the arrangements. The company will appear alongside OpenAI and Anthropic during a session convening while world leaders attend the UN General Assembly in New York.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is scheduled to address the 15-member council, and senior representatives from Anthropic are also expected to participate. DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng is not expected to attend, though one source cautioned that arrangements remain fluid. Fellow Chinese AI startup Moonshot has also been invited to make a statement. Reuters first reported the details, and neither DeepSeek nor Moonshot responded to requests for comment.

Why it matters

The inclusion of Chinese AI companies at the Security Council table reflects the increasingly global nature of AI governance debates—and the geopolitical tensions embedded within them. As Western AI leaders call for coordinated slowdowns and Chinese executives remain largely silent on catastrophic risk scenarios, the session will test whether meaningful international cooperation on AI safety is possible amid deepening U.S.-China rivalry.

Diverging views on AI development pace

The Wednesday briefing arrives during a period of sharp disagreement over how quickly frontier AI systems should advance. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently advocated for a coordinated slowdown in cutting-edge AI development, a position endorsed by Elon Musk. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Nvidia's Jensen Huang have argued against such restraints.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned world leaders last week that AI's rapid advancement poses dangers requiring immediate attention. That stance puts him at odds with U.S. President Donald Trump, who maintains that existing safeguards are sufficient.

Chinese state media has characterized calls to slow AI progress as a "Cold War playbook" aimed at preserving American technological dominance while excluding China from international AI governance forums.

China's silence on catastrophic AI risks

Unlike their counterparts at leading American labs, top Chinese AI executives have largely avoided public discussion of scenarios involving powerful AI systems that might deceive humans, resist oversight, or cause widespread harm. That silence has persisted even as debate over such risks has intensified in the United States this month.

The Security Council last convened on AI risks in 2023, when China warned the technology should not become a "runaway horse" and the U.S. cautioned against its use for suppression or censorship.

U.S.-China AI safety talks advance

Separately, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday that senior American and Chinese officials had agreed to pursue additional AI safety discussions. The agreement followed a meeting held before President Trump's expected sit-down with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington later this week.

Reuters first reported these developments.