China is already one of the world front runners in Artificial Intelligence (AI) development, now the country wants to lead on drafting a code of conduct for the AI industry, Shanghai-based news site The Paper reports.
Wang Zhigang, China’s science and technology minister, said at the World Intelligence Congress today that his ministry is working on a code of AI governance, which will soon be published for public consultation.
The AI industry is still at an early stage and will be facing a series of challenges, which creates the need to discuss its social ethics and governance, according to Wang.
A report published by the McKinsey Global Institute on China’s AI industry warned that while this technology has potentials to improve human welfare, it also raises “complex ethical, legal, and security questions surrounding issues such as privacy, discrimination, liability, and regulation.” For instance, China’s huge potential for AI-based automation in the manufacturing industry could lead to an unemployment crisis if not managed well, the report says.
China will work with other countries on the research of major AI-related common problems such as drafting laws and regulations, setting reasonable norms and international rules, and pushing for AI governance, he said.
Earlier this year, China set up a professional committee for AI governance, which will be overseeing researches on systemic governance, legal issues, and industry ethics.