Thammasat University students interested in China, political science, technology, business, economics, law, and related subjects may find it useful to participate in a free 8 May Zoom book talk on High Wire: How China Regulates Big Tech and Governs Its Economy.
The event, on Wednesday, 8 May 2024 at 9:30am Bangkok time, is presented by the Australian National University, Canberra.
The TU Library collection includes research about different aspects of Chinese technology.
As explained on the event website,
Drawing upon insights from her newly released book, Angela Zhang will explore the multifaceted nature of China’s institutional dynamics and their impact on AI regulation.
In recent years, China has emerged as a pioneer in formulating some of the world’s earliest and most comprehensive rules concerning algorithms, deepfakes, and generative artificial intelligence services. This proactive approach has led many to view China as a global frontrunner in AI regulation, while also raising concerns that Beijing’s approach may hinder innovation. In this talk, Angela Zhang will challenge this widely-held perception, revealing a more intricate and strategic regulatory landscape in China.
Drawing upon insights from her newly released book, High Wire: How China Regulates Big Tech and Governs Its Economy, Angela will explore the multifaceted nature of China’s institutional dynamics and their impact on AI regulation. She will also provide an in-depth analysis of the Chinese government’s nuanced strategy, which leverages the expressive power of the law to strategically enable the growth of its AI industry. Additionally, she will discuss the implications of China’s approach to AI enforcement for the domestic industry, the global tech rivalry, and the prospects for international cooperation.
Join this engaging and informative talk as Angela delves into the dynamic complexities of China’s AI regulatory landscape and its broader implications for the future of AI governance.
This event is jointly organised by the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet), the Australian Centre on China in the World, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs and the ANU College of Law.
About the speaker
Angela Zhang is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Hong Kong and Director of the Philip K. H. Wong Center for Chinese Law. Widely recognized as a leading authority on China’s tech regulation, Angela has written extensively on this topic. She is the author of Chinese Antitrust Exceptionalism: How the Rise of China Challenges Global Regulation, (Oxford, 2021), which was named one of the Best Political Economy Books of 2021 by ProMarket. Angela’s second book, High Wire: How China Regulates Big Tech and Governs Its Economy, was released by Oxford University Press in March 2024. In fall 2024, Angela will join the University of Southern California as a Professor of Law.
TU students may access books by Professor Zhang by the TU Library Interlibrary Loan (ILL) system.
Here is the abstract for a recent article by Professor Zhang:
The Promise and Perils of China’s Regulation of Artificial Intelligence
University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law Research Paper No. 2024/02
Abstract
In recent years, China has emerged as a pioneer in formulating some of the world’s earliest and most comprehensive rules concerning algorithms, deepfakes, and generative artificial intelligence (AI) services. This proactive intervention has left the impression that China has stood at the forefront as a global leader in regulating AI. Yet this perception put too much emphasis on the law on paper while overlooking the country’s intricate institutional dynamics. The Chinese government simultaneously acts as a policymaker, an investor, a supplier, a customer and a regulator in the AI sector. Given its extensive and deep involvement in the AI ecosystem, the government lacks a strong commitment to regulate the industry. Factors such as the intense US-China tech rivalry and the escalating chip embargo on Chinese AI firms further diminish the government’s incentive to impose strict regulation. Meanwhile, the current downturn in the Chinese economy and low market confidence impose further constraints on the government’s actions. Consequently, despite maintaining strict information control over public-facing AI services, China’s overall approach to AI regulation has been markedly business-friendly. Recent legislative measures, such as the interim measures to regulate generative AI and several local AI legislations, offer little protective value to the Chinese public. Instead, these laws have primarily served as an enabler by sending a strong pro-growth signal to the industry while attempting to coordinate various stakeholders to accelerate technological progress. As evidenced by its permissive stance over the abusive use of facial recognition technology, Chinese regulators have favoured a light-touch approach to AI regulation in practice. Similarly, Chinese courts are trying to prop up the AI industry, as demonstrated by the Beijing Internet Court’s decision to grant copyrights in an AI-generated image. China’s strategic lenient approach to regulation may therefore offer its AI firms a short-term competitive advantage over their European and U.S. counterparts. However, this leniency risks creating potential regulatory lags that could escalate into AI-induced accidents and even disasters. The dynamic complexity of China’s regulatory tactics therefore underscores the urgent need for increased international dialogue and collaboration with the country to tackle the safety challenges in AI governance.
And the article’s Conclusion:
Contrary to the common perception that Chinese regulation is constraining its AI development, this article draws attention to the expressive powers of the laws in enabling industry growth.
The Chinese government has employed a bifurcated approach in regulating AI technologies.
On the one hand, it is actively implementing control over AI-generated content. On the other hand, it is signalling to the market and regulatory bodies a lenient and cautious approach towards AI regulation, while coordinating various stakeholders to forge ahead with AI development. In practice, the Chinese regulatory authorities have prioritized development rather than strict information control, adopting an industry-friendly stance that gives Chinese firms a competitive advantage against their US and European counterparts. However, this permissive regulatory approach is fraught with risks. Given China’s weak market conditions, poor legal institutions and a chronic information deficit in the hierarchical regulatory system, a lax regulatory environment is conducive to AI-enabled accidents and even disasters.
Therefore, the issues surrounding AI safety in China warrant increased scrutiny from the global AI community and there is a pressing need for international cooperation to address the deficiencies in domestic institutions.
(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)