Technology
China and AI: what the India can learn and what it should be wary of
In 2017 , China announced its intention to become the global leader in artificial intelligence ( AI) by 2030. Although the US still leads in absolute terms, China seems to be making greater strides than either the US or the EU, and central and local government spending on AI in China is valued at tens of trillion dollars.
The move has contributed – at least in the West – to fears about a global AI arms race and questions about the increasing scope about China's oppressive state of surveillance. But treating China as a "villain" in this way is both unnecessarily convenient and potentially expensive.
While there are certainly facets of the Chinese government's approach to AI that are quite worrying and understandably to be criticized, it is crucial that this should not overshadow all of China's AI innovation research.
India wants to deal closely with China's production of AI and take a closer look at what's really going on. The story is nuanced and it is important to find out that China is making promising strides in practical AI applications and questioning traditional myths, as well as warning about risky uses.
Nesta discussed the wide range of AI operation in China – the good, the poor and the unpredictable.
The Good One
China's approach to AI development and deployment is fast-paced and realistic, targeted at discovering solutions that can help solve real-world problems. Rapid progress is being made in the area of healthcare, for example, as China is struggling to provide its elderly population with convenient access to reliable and high-quality facilities.
Applications include 'AI Doctor' chatbots that can connect people in rural areas with skilled physicians by telemedicine; artificial learning to speed up clinical research; and the use of deep learning for medical image recognition that can assist with early detection of cancer and other diseases.
As a result of the epidemic of COVID-19, medical AI technologies emerged when Chinese researchers & tech firms raced to try & battle the virus by improving scanning, testing & new drug growth. AI methods used in Wuhan, China to combat COVID-19 – by helping to speed up the diagnosis of CT scans – are now being used in Italy and have also been given to the national health care center in the UK.
The Bad One
But there are still significant implications of China's use of AI. Significant developments in realistic AI technologies that favor people and society should not negate the fact that China's repressive government is still using AI & citizen data in ways that breach privacy and civil liberties.
Most troublingly, media and leaked documents have exposed the government's use of facial recognition technology to enable the monitoring and detention of Muslim ethnic minorities in China's Xinjiang province.
The advent of decentralized collective governance structures, which lack transparency processes, is also a cause for alarm.
For example, in Shanghai 's smart court system, AI-generated tests are used to assist in sentencing decisions. However, it is impossible for the jurors to determine the possible prejudices of the instrument, the accuracy of the evidence and the soundness of the process , making it challenging for them to question the decisions taken.
China's history reminds us of the need for openness and accountability when it comes to public sector AI. Systems must be built and applied in ways that are equitable and protect digital citizens' interests.
