Chinese firms might even have a competitive advantage over their American and European counterparts.
Zhuang Rongwen, head of the Cyberspace Administration of China, speaks during the closing ceremony of the 5th World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, 9 November 2018. Credit: Imaginechina via AP Images
If a Chinese tech firm wants to venture into generative artificial intelligence it is bound to face significant hurdles arising from stringent government control, at least according to popular perceptions. China was, after all, among the first countries to introduce legislation regulating the technology. But a closer look at the so-called interim measures on AI indicates that far from hampering the industry, China’s government is actively seeking to bolster it.
This should not be surprising. Already a global leader in AI (trailing only the United States), China has big ambitions in the sector – and the means to ensure that its legal and regulatory landscape encourages and facilitates indigenous innovation.
...the interim measures advance a cautious and tolerant regulatory approach, which should assuage industry concerns over potential policy risks.
The interim measures on generative AI reflect this strategic motivation. To be sure, a preliminary draft of the legislation
Exclusive longform investigative journalism, Q&As, news and analysis, and data on Chinese business elites and corporations. We publish China scoops you won't find anywhere else.
A weekly curated reading list on China from David Barboza, Pulitzer Prize-winning former Shanghai correspondent for The New York Times.
A daily roundup of China finance, business and economics headlines.
We offer discounts for groups, institutions and students. Go to our Subscriptions page for details.
A decade ago, China arrived on the global art scene with deep pockets and an abundance of swagger. Recently, however, China's economic downturn has caused a spate of museums to close and once prominent collectors to sell their collections. Can China ever achieve its dreams of "cultural self-confidence"?
The Harvard professor discusses the effects on Chinese society of the country's high-tech development, and how the pandemic may have shifted public attitudes.
The Global Intelligence Platform used by The Wire China
