China has created a new specialist committee on artificial intelligence (AI), as part of the country’s vision for the development and governance of the technology, amid simmering tensions between Beijing and Washington.
The AI Experts Committee will help spearhead efforts to promote the country’s perspective on how the fast-growing technology should be governed, according to a statement released by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) at this year’s four-day World Internet Conference, also known as the Wuzhen Summit, which concludes this Friday.
Alibaba Cloud founder Wang Jian was named as chief expert of the committee. Alibaba Cloud leads AI research and development under e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, owner of the South China Morning Post.
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CAC director Zhuang Rongwen on Wednesday said the committee aims to foster international cooperation on AI. The new body is made up of about 170 AI specialists, including British computer scientist Wendy Hall, Vienna University of Technology professor of computer science Schahram Dustdar and Chinese-American scientist Zhang Ya-qin, who serves as Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research at Tsinghua University.
Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices and other US businesses also have delegates in the committee, according to the CAC.
Establishing the AI Experts Committee underscores the urgency for China to take a more active role in shaping the technology’s global development – similar to its efforts in setting international standards for next-generation mobile networks based on 4G and 5G systems – even as the US government continues to impose stifling trade restrictions on the mainland.
The CAC-organised internet conference – held annually in the town of Wuzhen in eastern Zhejiang province since 2014 – has focused this week on AI, as Beijing seeks a greater role in the global governance of the technology.
Some of the panel discussions at the Wuzhen Summit covered topics such as “responsible AI development and applications”, “AI innovation and governance” and “AI empowering new productive forces”.
Eddie Wu Yongming, chief executive of Hangzhou-based Alibaba, on Thursday said at the summit that AI is now in the process of forming a “superintelligent body” that would help all enterprises improve their productivity.
“In the long run, the greatest value of AI is not just to create one or two super apps on mobile phones, but to promote productivity changes in all walks of life,” Wu said.
Xiaomi founder, chairman and chief executive Lei Jun, meanwhile, highlighted at the summit how the company has adopted AI across its business segments, including its emerging electric-vehicle business.
On Wednesday, Lei said Xiaomi is set to launch at the end of this year a new intelligent-driving application based on its own large language model – the technology underpinning generative AI services like ChatGPT. He said this initiative reflects the firm’s “All in AI” strategy.
Ant Group chairman and chief executive Eric Jing Xiandong on the same day said AI is expected to open up an era of large-scale personalisation in the services sector, while asserting that humans must take responsibility in managing the risks involved in the technology.
“We hope to make AI as convenient as scanning code for payment in everyone’s life,” Jing said.
More from South China Morning Post:
- Alibaba CEO highlights AI advancement at China’s internet forum
- China’s Xi pitches a ‘shared future in cyberspace’ at internet forum amid decoupling fears
- China’s biggest internet forum to focus on AI as Beijing seeks greater role in governance
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