SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Chinese language Premier Li Qiang on Saturday proposed establishing an organisation to foster world cooperation on synthetic intelligence, calling on international locations to coordinate on the event and safety of the fast-evolving expertise.
Talking on the opening of the annual World Synthetic Intelligence Convention (WAIC) in Shanghai, Li referred to as AI a brand new engine for progress, however including that governance is fragmented and emphasising the necessity for extra coordination between international locations to kind a globally recognised framework for AI.
The three-day occasion brings collectively trade leaders and policymakers at a time of escalating technological competitors between China and america – the world’s two largest economies – with AI rising as a key battleground.
“At present, total world AI governance continues to be fragmented. International locations have nice variations notably when it comes to areas similar to regulatory ideas, institutional guidelines,” Li stated.
“We must always strengthen coordination to kind a world AI governance framework that has broad consensus as quickly as potential,” he stated.
Washington has imposed export restrictions on superior expertise to China, together with essentially the most high-end AI chips made by corporations similar to Nvidia and chipmaking gear, citing considerations that the expertise might improve China’s navy capabilities.
Regardless of these restrictions, China has continued making AI breakthroughs which have drawn shut scrutiny from U.S. officers.
Li didn’t identify america in his speech, however he warned that AI might change into an “unique sport” for a number of international locations and corporations, and stated challenges included an inadequate provide of AI chips and restrictions on expertise change.
China needed to share its growth expertise and merchandise with different international locations, particularly these within the International South, Li stated.
WAIC is an annual government-sponsored occasion in Shanghai that sometimes attracts main trade gamers, authorities officers, researchers and buyers.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has in previous years commonly appeared on the opening ceremony each in-person and through video, didn’t communicate this 12 months.
Apart from boards, the convention additionally options exhibitions the place corporations display their newest improvements.
This 12 months, greater than 800 corporations are taking part, showcasing greater than 3,000 high-tech merchandise, 40 giant language fashions, 50 AI-powered gadgets and 60 clever robots, based on organizers.
The exhibition options predominantly Chinese language corporations, together with tech giants Huawei and Alibaba and startups similar to humanoid robotic maker Unitree. Western contributors embrace Tesla, Alphabet and Amazon.
(Reporting by Brenda Goh; Writing by Liz Lee; Enhancing by Jacqueline Wong, William Mallard and Tom Hogue)
