Exclusive: US-China rivalry threatens global AI safeguards; IIIT Hyderabad director flags Israel challenge

IIIT Hyderabad director Sandeep Kumar Shukla warns that US-China rivalry could hinder global AI regulation. He calls for UN-led rules and inspections to address risks from cyberattacks, military applications and the potential misuse of advanced AI systems.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has raised concerns about cybersecurity, warfare and potential misuse. However, slowing its progress could face resistance as countries compete for technological superiority.

In an interview with Mint on October 13, 2026, Sandeep Kumar Shukla, director of the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT Hyderabad), said global guidelines are needed to manage AI risks, but geopolitical tensions between the US and China could make it difficult for countries to agree on slowing its development.

Shukla explained how advanced AI could help detect software vulnerabilities that decades of human expertise have failed to uncover. The same capabilities, however, could make cyberattacks easier and enable malicious actors to develop dangerous technologies. He said governments should focus on regulating the use of AI in military operations rather than on preventing individual countries from developing AI systems.

US-China rivalry could derail AI slowdown

Countries are unlikely to slow AI development unilaterally because doing so could give their rivals a technological advantage, Shukla said. He questioned how the US could ensure that China would not accelerate its development if American companies slowed theirs, highlighting the challenges posed by the rivalry between the two countries.

He also cautioned that investors may be influenced by claims made by AI developers. Companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic may have commercial incentives to publicise their technology, he said, even as concerns about its risks grow.

Pragya Singha Roy