For states, being part of everything doesn’t mean being part of nothing

Tan Poh Hwee is president of the Asia Academy of Digital Economics, a Singapore-based non-profit, and a corresponding fellow of the National Academy of Artificial Intelligence.A coalition may call itself a commitment. It still has to say what that commitment is.The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to send a letter to dozens of countries, pressing them to choose sides in the US-China Artificial Intelligence race. Those that join Beijing’s proposed AI cooperation framework would be excluded from the US-led AI coalition. “To be part of everything is to be part of nothing,” the draft says. An American official summarised the message more bluntly: countries cannot have it both ways.The letter’s underlying logic reaches far beyond AI. As international institutions become more fragmented and competitive, governments increasingly face the same demand: prove the depth of your commitment by closing the door on everyone else. That is a seductive argument. It is also a dangerous way to organise international cooperation.