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
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