US to allies: Choose a side in the AI race. A draft State Dept letter warns 35 "AI Opportunity Statement" signatories they'll be excluded from the US-led Pax Silica coalition if they also join China's rival AI bloc, launched by Xi in July. "Can't have it both ways," says a US official. Kazakhstan, a critical minerals supplier, is the only country in both so far. China calls it "politicizing trade and technology." (source: Reuters)