HONG KONG: According to state media reports on Saturday (Apr 26), China’s President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of “self-reliance and self-strengthening” in advancing artificial intelligence (AI) within the nation, as China competes with the US for leadership in this crucial sector.
During a study session at a Politburo meeting on Friday, Xi urged that China utilize its “new whole national system” to enhance AI development.
“We must acknowledge our shortcomings and intensify our efforts to advance technological innovation, industrial growth, and applications powered by AI,” Xi stated, as reported by the official Xinhua news agency.
He mentioned that support would be provided in policy areas including government procurement, intellectual property rights, research, and talent development.
Some analysts believe that China has significantly closed the gap in AI development with the United States in the last year. The Chinese startup DeepSeek garnered international attention when it introduced an AI reasoning model in January, claiming it was developed with less sophisticated chips and at a lower cost compared to its Western counterparts. China has also made progress in infrastructure software engineering.
The launch by DeepSeek questioned the belief that US sanctions were hindering China’s AI industry amidst a growing geopolitical tech rivalry and suggested that China was not necessarily behind the US following OpenAI’s ChatGPT breakthrough in late 2022.
“We need to enhance our fundamental research, focus on mastering key technologies like advanced chips and essential software, and create a self-sufficient, manageable, and cooperative AI software and hardware system,” Xi stated.
He further added that regulations and legislation regarding AI should be expedited to develop a “risk warning and emergency response system, ensuring that artificial intelligence remains safe, reliable, and controllable.”
Last year, Xi remarked that AI should not be exclusive to “wealthy countries and the privileged,” advocating for enhanced global oversight and collaboration in the AI field.
