China’s AI Ambitions: 50 New Standards to Catch Up with the US by 2026

China is gearing up to revolutionize its artificial intelligence (AI) sector with the introduction of 50 new standards by 2026. This move is expected to bring the country at par with the US in terms of AI development, adoption, and market valuation.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is driving the new standards

The new standards will cover a broad range of areas, including generative AI, large language model (LLM) training, safety, governance, industrial applications, software, and computing systems. This will not only encourage standardization across the ecosystem but also promote innovation and development in the sector.

“It’s an innovation-oriented and market-friendly regulatory approach,” said You Chuanman, director of the Institute for International Affairs Centre for Regulation and Global Governance at the Shenzhen campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. “This is more about enabling and promoting the development of the technology and its ecosystem.”

Adopting a lenient approach is expected to improve innovation in the space, but it hints at a raft of strict guidelines for service providers in the industry. Generative AI models, for instance, will have a duty to uphold China’s socialist ideals, while data center operators will be required to protect users’ privacy from bad actors.

AI adoption in China has been on the rise, with several industries turning to AI to improve productivity and efficiency

China’s AI sector has seen significant growth since the government gave the green light for Chinese firms to commercially release AI products in 2023. Local LLMs have found international acclaim, matching the U.S.-based models in terms of performance despite limited access to chips and other hardware.

The country is also seeking to build on the wide adoption of its AI resolution at the United Nations (UN), which is designed to encourage uniform development of the technology across global regions in non-military applications.

Integrating AI with enterprise blockchain systems can ensure data input quality and ownership

To ensure AI works within the law and thrives in the face of growing challenges, it needs to integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership. This allows AI to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data.

China’s ambitious plan to launch 50 new AI standards by 2026 is a significant step towards catching up with the US in terms of AI development and adoption. With a focus on innovation and standardization, the country is poised to become a leader in the global AI ecosystem.