China Grants Approval for Over 40 AI Models in 6 Months: Technological Competition Intensifies

China Approves Over 40 AI Models for Public Use in 6 Months

In a bid to maintain its technological edge, China has granted approval for more than 40 artificial intelligence (AI) models to be used for public purposes in the past six months. This move comes amidst the ongoing competition for technological supremacy between China and the United States. The approvals signify the strategies employed by both countries to hinder each other’s progress.

Beijing’s Approval Process

The approval process in Beijing has been conducted in four stages since its establishment in August last year. The most recent stage saw the approval of 14 AI models, including those developed by Xiaomi, 4Paradigm, and 01.AI. The first tranche of approvals included renowned companies such as Alibaba, Baidu, and ByteDance. The second and third tranches were approved in November and December respectively.

China’s Technological Competitiveness

While Chinese state-owned research institutions announced the release of 79 large language models (LLMs) by domestic tech companies last year, the exact number of AI approvals issued by the government has not been publicly disclosed. However, this number holds significant importance as it reflects China’s fierce competition with the United States in the field of technology.

US Preparations and Collaborative Efforts

The United States is currently preparing administrative orders to monitor AI models trained by cloud service providers such as Microsoft, Google, and AWS. This measure aims to address potential national emergencies related to malicious cyber activities. Despite this competition, China and the United States have signed the Bletchley Declaration at the UK AI Safety Summit, expressing their mutual willingness to supervise the safe development of AI technology in collaboration with other countries.

Ensuring Responsible AI Development

Similar to China’s AI approval mechanism, US President Joe Biden issued an administrative order in October last year to establish clear rules and oversight measures for AI development. The objective of this order is to strike a balance between ensuring responsible AI practices and promoting growth in the sector.

Challenges and Startup Initiatives

One notable challenge faced by AI models is the legal investigation surrounding OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a widely used generative AI platform. The New York Times has filed a lawsuit questioning the data used to train the underlying large language model (LLM) of ChatGPT. In response to such challenges, startups have emerged in China to provide AI model certification based on the type of data used for training. These initiatives aim to enhance transparency and accountability within the AI industry.

Conclusion

China’s approval of over 40 AI models for public use in just six months underscores its commitment to advancing AI technology. While both China and the United States continue their competition for technological dominance, they are also taking measures to ensure responsible AI development and foster global cooperation. The source of this article is Computerworld.