Artificial intelligence industry in China

The artificial intelligence industry in China is a rapidly developing multi-billion dollar industry. The roots of China's AI development started in the late 1970s following Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms emphasizing science and technology as the country's primary productive force.

The initial stages of China's AI development were slow and encountered significant challenges due to lack of resources and talent. At the beginning China was behind most Western countries in terms of AI development. A majority of the research was led by scientists who had received higher education abroad.[1]

Since 2006, the Chinese government has steadily developed a national agenda for artificial intelligence development and emerged as one of the leading nations in artificial intelligence research and development.[2] In 2016, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) released its thirteenth five-year plan in which it aimed to become a global AI leader by 2030.[3]

The State Council has a list of "national AI teams" including fifteen China-based companies, including Baidu, Tencent, Alibaba, SenseTime, and iFlytek.[citation needed] Each company should lead the development of a designated specialized AI sector in China, such as facial recognition, software/hardware, and speech recognition. China's rapid AI development has significantly impacted Chinese society in many areas, including the socio-economic, military, and political spheres. Agriculture, transportation, accommodation and food services, and manufacturing are the top industries that would be the most impacted by further AI deployment.

The private sector, university laboratories, and the military are working collaboratively in many aspects as there are few current existing boundaries.[4] In 2021, China published the Data Security Law of the People's Republic of China, its first national law addressing AI-related ethical concerns. In October 2022, the United States federal government announced a series of export controls and trade restrictions intended to restrict China's access to advanced computer chips for AI applications.[5][6]

Concerns have been raised about the effects of the Chinese government's censorship regime on the development of generative artificial intelligence and talent acquisition with state of the country's demographics.[7][8]

  1. ^ Chang, Huey-Meei; Hannas, William C. (2022-06-22), "Foreign support, alliances, and technology transfer", Chinese Power and Artificial Intelligence (1 ed.), London: Routledge, pp. 36–54, doi:10.4324/9781003212980-4, ISBN 978-1-003-21298-0
  2. ^ He, Yujia (2017). How China is preparing for an AI-powered Future (PDF). Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-02-15. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :10 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Allen, Gregory (11 October 2022). "Choking off China's Access to the Future of AI". Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  6. ^ Allen, Gregory C.; Benson, Emily (2023-03-01). "Clues to the U.S.-Dutch-Japanese Semiconductor Export Controls Deal Are Hiding in Plain Sight". Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original on 2023-03-03. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Lin, Liza (July 15, 2024). "China Puts Power of State Behind AI—and Risks Strangling It". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.