China’s AI Giants Can’t Say No to the Party

The ethical consideration behind China’s cybersecurity and AI policy is quite worth noting, given the current sociopolitical environment surrounding these topics in the United States. First, we must remember that Google has faced significant backlash against its work with the Department of Defense, and this reflects the general sentiment for AI weaponry in the United States. However, China’s focus in AI policy warrants a discussion of their military industrial complex. China consistently enlists the aid of both tech giants such as Baidu and Tencent, and universities such as Tsinghua to promote their military application. Furthermore, the Chinese communist party has declared that the party “leads everything,” reflecting Mao-era sentiment that the party must rule above all. When combined with their efforts to develop mass surveillance for all citizens, China’s efforts in AI become troublesome from a western perspective, and warrant further inspection. My take-away from the article is that China’s Communist Party is forcing the spread of AI quite forcefully, but perhaps for only its own benefit. These progressions should be monitored for further developments.