Drones have become a common sight in our skies, along with driverless cars, robots with human-like intelligence, and the popularity of online video and streaming platforms where anyone can become an overnight sensation. Most of us are unaware that the development of these machines and other artificial intelligence technologies are products of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) companies. China is on the brink of becoming the world leader in AI, a fact that often goes unnoticed by the public.
China’s technologies have emerged at a breakneck pace, highlighting the infinite innovations borne out of China’s AI ambition. For the past several years, conversations about the world’s technological and social future have focused on AI, and more specifically, on China’s leadership in the field and its influence on the global AI landscape. Imagine a world where China’s artificial intelligence reigns supreme. Can we expect their robots to one day perform the work of humans? At some point in the future, will their computer software surpass our human intelligence? These are the questions that will linger with us as we navigate and discover opportunities and threats in the constantly developing field of artificial intelligence.
Demystifying AI: What It Means in the Modern World
The concept itself rapidly evolves, and its meaning is as varied as its forms. In its earlier definition by prominent computer scientist Marvin Minsky (1968), AI is the science of making machines perform tasks that would require human intelligence. AI is therefore designed to emulate human intelligence through the analysis and interpretation of data, identification of patterns, and creation of decision conclusions based on experience and available data (Commentator, 2020). For the longest time, people often thought of AI as a concept that does not have any physical form, existing exclusively in a world where algorithms, binary codes, and systems govern everything. The concept, though, expands beyond AI’s artificial character as it develops further, becoming pervasive in our daily lives and more intrusive in numerous aspects of our personal and social activities. As explained by Ojha et al. (2023), “artificial” in AI denotes that AI is a product of human creativity and development rather than something that happens in nature. It is still dependent on programming and human input, making it an artificial construct.
Nevertheless, nations all around the world are working to debunk the myth surrounding artificial intelligence and utilize it as a new kind of power. Kate Crawford’s ground-breaking book, “The Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence,” explores this concept and highlights how AI can shape new forms of global dominance.
By considering Crawford’s (2022) framing of AI as an extractive economy, we can start to understand the implications of its reliance on physical resources. Just like any other extractive industry, AI requires the extraction and exploitation of natural resources, as well as the labour and data of individuals. The production and operation of AI systems require significant amounts of energy and resources which only a few countries, like China, are capable of investing in.
Crawford also emphasized that the definition and development of AI extend beyond technical and geekspeak, and occur in a variety of fields and contexts. The best way to understand AI’s impact is to look at how it interacts with social norms, power dynamics, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. Thus, in the modern socio-political context, AI is used by nations to demonstrate their domination or registry of power (Crawford, 2022). Such is the case of China’s rise in AI which has been driven by its ambitious AI plan, ensuring a new world order towards the age of AI, and proving the ideological superiority of its authoritarian values.
Chinas AI Ambitions Unveiled
China’s aggressive push in the field of AI has garnered significant international interest (Feldstein, 2019). Its journey into the realm of AI began in the recent decade, gradually evolving into a strategic priority for the nation. From embracing technological advancements to nurturing homegrown innovations, China’s AI strategy has seen a notable transformation over time, propelling the country as a formidable force in the global AI venture. What are the key factors that have led to China’s rapid advancements in AI; what does this mean for the country and the rest of the world? The Crawford framework provides the most suitable description of these inquiries into China’s AI registry of power. One way to understand the rise of AI as a new form of colonialism (Gravett, 2022; Hao, 2022;) in the digital era is to look at China’s AI strategy through a socio-economic and geo-political lens.
The Rise of China: A Deep Dive into its AI Strategy
The Chinese government can be seen is the primary force behind the country’s AI ambitions. In order to enhance its capacities in AI research and development, its political leaders set out a comprehensive national strategy that promoted a flourishing ecosystem of tech enterprises and start-ups.
The “New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” is one of its hallmark national policies and initiatives, providing strategic direction and financing to assist in AI research and development. The fundamental goal of the strategy is to establish China as the worldwide hub of AI innovation by 2030, with AI as the main driver for China’s industrial growth and economic transformation (AIDP, 2017). The key principles of this strategy must be technology-led transformation, market-dominant AI technologies, systematic concentration of resources, and open-source sharing of knowledge among stakeholders.
The policy also prompted financial support for AI research and development, which drew investments both from the public and private sectors. This led to an influx of capital for AI start-ups, research, and infrastructure, all of which contributed to the expansion of China’s AI industry. China’s investments in AI are expected to reach US$26.69 billion in 2026, according to a recent prediction by International Data Corporation (IDC). China is expected to account for 8.9% of all investments, ranking second globally (IDC, 2022).
When we take into account the financial, environmental, and human resources that are required for China to accomplish its AI goals, it is conceivable to perceive China as an extractive entity. The immense natural resources that are extracted to make the immense number of AI technologies that are marketed all over the world, the energy that is required to power these businesses, and the human labour that is exerted to propel these industries highlight the tangible requisites needed for global domination.
Economic Implications of AI Adoption in China
An increasingly ubiquitous AI is reshaping China’s economy. Innovations in AI are reshaping business operations such as the automation of production and the provision of personalized services. Using AI to boost output while cutting expenses on human labour is a novel way to deal with the changing demographics of China’s workforce. An excellent illustration of this trend is the extensive use of AI in China’s industrial sector to counteract a declining workforce yet still increasing productivity.
AI has also opened up new opportunities for economic growth with the advent of platforms such as Alibaba, Taobao, and TikTok. The eventual platformization transformed how businesses run and interact with customers, providing tailored servie, targeted advertising, and streamlined transactions. AI’s data-driven approach has enabled businesses to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour and preferences, resulting in more effective marketing strategies and increased revenue.
Social and Cultural Effects of AI Integration in Chinese Society
The widespread use of AI technology has paved the way for its integration into various aspects of life in China. From the development of smart cities to advancements in healthcare and education, AI has transformed industries and shaped the new Chinese society. The implementation of AI in China has led to significant changes in the job market. Possible employment loss due to AI’s capabilities for automation has been a source of contention. On the other hand, AI promotes opportunities for new endeavours in the online era that can challenge and enrich people’s existing talents while also adapting to new abilities.
Additionally, the impact of AI in China goes beyond the economy and job market, it has the potential to reshape social interactions. The popularity of “influencer farms” and “influencer incubators” in digital marketing fostered the creation of online personas that consumers engage with and subsequently emulate. Their use of AI and social media have also blurred the line between online and reality which calls into question the authenticity of their interactions that develop through these digital mediums.
Ethical Dilemmas: Challenges and Controversies in AI Implementation
Worries over China’s AI activities’ possible effects on human rights and democracy around the world are growing as its technology develops further. The discourse stems because of the extractive ways in which AI is created and used. The AI industry in China is clearly a capitalist enterprise that puts profit before people’s well-being.
Behind the glimmer of China’s AI industry is the gloomy reality of student interns who are exploited. Companies are driven to exploit these interns by the pressure to succeed in China’s competitive AI industry. These companies force these interns to work long hours without providing them with enough breaks or remuneration. A significant number of these students come from families with limited financial resources, and they view this internship as an opportunity to gain useful work experience and possibly land a career in the future. The reality, on the other hand, is not even close to being ideal because they are frequently overworked and underpaid.
Further, concerns over privacy and individual freedoms were heightened by the fact that China’s AI surveillance demonstrates how the government monitors and tracks the digital actions and behaviours of its people. The Chinese government is behind this massive surveillance system that uses technologies like face recognition, personal databases, and a web of cameras to keep an eye on people and even intimidate them. With the use of these technologies and sophisticated AI algorithms, the Chinese government can now conduct unprecedented levels of real-time data analysis and interpretation, enabling exhaustive levels of monitoring. This AI surveillance might trample fundamental human rights values by reinforcing current power structures and silencing probable dissent from its citizens.
The Spread of AI Issues Beyond China
The domestic AI issues faced in China also make their way to other parts of the world as AI’s influence knows no boundaries (Kodjo, 2017). With the large exports of AI technologies to many regions of the world, China is progressively dominating the digital domain by collecting data from its global consumers. This has been the issue in Zimbabwe ever since the country’s government formed a partnership with Cloudwalk Technology Co., a Chinese company, to pursue a project involving mass facial recognition. The goal of the initiative was to enhance the capacities of law enforcement and to increase security in the country. While the goal is mutually beneficial, as the company will expand its data for darker-skinned people to increase the accuracy of its facial recognition system, it also sparks issues on Zimbabwean personal data and privacy handled by a foreign private entity. In the global political discourse, this case highlights the lack of global policy and regulation to govern not just the AI technology itself, but also the sharing of data through digital space among nation-states.
Conclusion: Regulatory Roadmap for Responsible AI Governance
Evidently, China’s goal of AI dominance is an extractive enterprise with an imperialistic overtone, and with the intention of capturing and controlling (Stewart-Weeks, 2021). After delving farther into the realm of AI, it becomes clear that this industry goes beyond mere technology. The tangible resources to create and disseminate this technology dictate the success of a nation’s pursuit for supremacy. Establishing worldwide standards, laws, and frameworks in this area requires investigating its origins and how it has affected different sectors of society. Similar to how it was created as a by-product of an extractive economy, regulating AI too, can be a result of collective extracts from various stakeholders. Creating rules and regulations must be governed by the values of justice, equality, and human rights to harness most of its positive impact and minimise its risks to humans who are the tangible users and at the receiving end of all these global innovations.
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