How China is preparing for the risk of AI escaping human control

While debate in the United States focuses on whether frontier artificial intelligence could threaten humanity, Chinese policymakers largely see AI as a powerful but governable technology.

Figurines with computers and smartphones seen in front of the words "Artificial Intelligence AI". REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

BEIJING: Warnings from researchers at leading US artificial intelligence developer Anthropic that increasingly powerful models could escape human control and even lead to the extinction of the human race have drawn attention in China, where policymakers have been preparing for some of the same risks.

The US and China are the two major driving forces of frontier AI development and the technology’s global adoption. Both superpowers have been increasingly at loggerheads over each other’s AI policies and industry practices, with these issues slated to feature prominently in bilateral talks later in September.