New group reflects Beijing's aim to gain influence by positioning itself as a champion of AI for all

New group reflects Beijing's aim to gain influence by positioning itself as a champion of AI for all

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BEIJING — While humanoid robots faced off in a boxing ring at China's flagship artificial intelligence (AI) conference in Shanghai, a fight in the US-China tech war was fought in suits nearby over who gets to set the rules in the AI age.

China's answer is a new global organisation to convene countries to foster the safe and inclusive use of the powerful new technology.

At the annual World AI Conference over the weekend, Chinese Premier Li Qiang warned of an AI "monopoly" and called on foreign officials in the room — mostly from developing countries — to cooperate on governance.

The new group, known as the World AI Cooperation Organisation, embodies China's plan to jostle with the US for sway by positioning itself as a champion of AI for all.

More favourable rules may give a global boost to Chinese companies competing with US firms to sell hardware and services in a market estimated to hit US$4.8 trillion (S$6.2 trillion) by 2033.

For many of the countries represented at the conference, Chinese firms already offer competitive solutions, even if the US dominates the supply of cutting-edge AI chips.

"The Chinese are coming to the table with a very different AI product mix that is going to be extremely appealing to lower-income countries that lack the computing and power infrastructure needed for large-scale implementation of OpenAI-like AI systems," said Mr Eric Olander of the China-Global South Project.

Using technology as both carrot and calling card, Beijing's approach appears to take a page out of its Digital Silk Road initiative, which puts Chinese companies at the centre of telecommunications networks spanning continents.