The Promise and Perils of China's Regulation of Artificial Intelligence

In recent years, China has emerged as a pioneer in formulating some of the world’s earliest and most comprehensive regulations concerning artificial intelligence (A.I.) services. Thus far, much attention has focused on the restrictive nature of these rules, raising concerns that they might constrain Chinese A.I. development. This Article is the first to draw attention to the expressive powers of Chinese A.I. legislation, particularly its information and coordination functions, to enable the A.I. industry. Recent legislative measures, such as the interim measures to regulate generative A.I. and various local A.I. legislation, offer little protective value to the Chinese public. Instead, these laws have sent a strong pro-growth signal to the industry while attempting to coordinate various stakeholders to accelerate technological progress. China’s strategically lenient approach to regulation may therefore offer its A.I. firms a short-term competitive advantage over their European and U.S. counterparts. However, such leniency risks creating potential regulatory lags that could escalate into A.I.- induced accidents and even disasters. The dynamic complexity of China’s regulatory tactics thus underscores the urgent need for increased international dialogue and collaboration with the country to tackle to safety challenges in A.I. governance.

Bio:

Angela Huyue Zhang is a Professor of Law at the Gould School of Law  of the University of Southern California. Widely recognized as a leading authority on Chinese 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" published by the Oxford University Press in 2021. The book was named one of the Best Political Economy Books of the Year by ProMarket in 2021. Her second book, High Wire: How China Regulates Big Tech and Governs Its Economy, released in March 2024, has been covered in The New York Times, Bloomberg, Wire China, MIT Tech Review and many other international news outlets. Angela is currently teaching and conducting research on topics including the U.S.-China tech rivalry and the global regulation of artificial intelligence.

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