philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Move Fast, but Obey the Rules: China’s Vision for Dominating A.I.

Artificial intelligence, he said, is as transformative as the steam engine, electricity and the internet. But for all of its promise, China must not let the new technology “spiral out of control,” Mr. Xi warned during a study session for leaders of the Chinese Communist Party, according to state media. China must act early and decisively, anticipating and preventing problems with prudence and caution, he said.

Mr. Xi’s remarks highlight a tension shaping China’s tech industry. China’s leadership has decided that A.I. will drive the country’s economic growth in the next decade. At the same time, it cannot allow the new technology to disrupt the stability of Chinese society and the Communist Party’s hold over it.

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The internet was once seen as an existential threat to the ruling Communist Party, but Beijing instead brought it to heel through a system of censorship and tight control over China’s largest internet companies. Artificial intelligence poses a similar dilemma: a transformative force that promises economic gains while having the potential to undermine the party’s grip on power. ...

“What OpenAI and Alibaba are legally required to do in terms of predeployment testing is quite different,” said Scott Singer, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. ...

After ChatGPT set off a global craze for chatbots, Chinese officials quickly announced draft rules for A.I. systems capable of answering questions, carrying on conversations and creating pictures and videos. ...

Even as Chinese officials seek to balance the promise of artificial intelligence with an aversion to risk, the technology has become increasingly important to Beijing amid slowing economic growth. ...

See the full story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/business/china-ai-regulations.html