China Calls For Global AI Governance Framework Amid Rising Concerns Over Technology Risks

Beijing, Sep 15: China on Tuesday called for stronger "global governance" of artificial intelligence, saying all countries should work together to develop the technology for the benefit of humanity and prevent it from "getting out of control", amid stark warnings from leading AI researchers and industry figures about its potential risks.

China calls for AI cooperation

"We noted recent remarks by some in the US AI industry,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, responding to questions about concerns raised by AI experts over the dangers posed by the rapidly developing technology.

"As AI develops at an incredible speed, it's all the more important to stay committed to developing AI for the positive, for good, and for the benefits of the people, to calibrate regulation and governance on AI, and to promptly strengthen safeguards to prevent it from getting out of control," he said.

AI is the collective wisdom and precious asset shared by all humanity, Guo said in a statement posted on the foreign ministry's website, stressing that its development and governance require international cooperation.

"AI development and governance require the practice of true multilateralism, with all countries working together to build a global governance framework on broad-based consensus,” he said.

“No single country or enterprise can develop effective solutions on its own,” the spokesperson said, adding that China backs the United Nations playing the main role in global AI governance.

"China stands ready to join hands with all countries to build a just and equitable system for global AI governance, and develop AI for good and for all," he said.

Warnings over AI risks grow

Guo's comments came amid heightened debate in the US over the pace of AI development and the potential threat posed by its increasingly powerful systems.

Several top AI researchers and industry figures have warned that rapid and largely unhindered development of the technology could pose unprecedented risks to humanity.

Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon, who recently left the company after previously working at OpenAI, has publicly warned that people developing advanced AI systems seriously believe the technology could potentially kill humanity by the end of the decade.

Another Anthropic scientist, Evan Hubinger, has backed the concern, saying he believed there was a greater than 10 per cent chance that AI could kill all humans within the next decade.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also called for caution over the pace of development, saying progress in AI has been rapid and will continue to be so, but "it should be slower".

"No amount of American competitive pressure should justify recklessness," Altman was quoted as saying in media reports.

China stresses safety measures

China, meanwhile, has sought to present itself as supporting both rapid AI development and stronger safeguards.

Guo said Beijing puts equal emphasis on AI development and security and takes seriously the inherent and secondary risks associated with the technology.

"We are committed to holding on to the bottom line of security, and we have been making continued efforts to improve laws and regulations, policies, application norms, ethics and rules to prevent the abuse and misuse of AI, and ensure that AI is safe, reliable and controllable," he said.

Guo also said Chinese authorities on Monday released the AI Safety Governance Framework 3.0, which reviewed and updated the classification of AI safety risks and sets out recommendations on optimising technological safeguards and comprehensive governance measures.

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Global AI competition intensifies

AI global governance is likely to figure in the upcoming talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Washington. Xi is expected to visit the US later this month, according to media reports.

The upcoming meeting comes at a time of intense global competition over artificial intelligence, making technology regulations and safety a key priority for both superpowers.

On Monday, Trump had dismissed the warnings about AI, describing concerns over the technology as a "global warming scam" allegedly being promoted by the "radical left democrats".

In a series of social media posts, Trump said the only guardrail that AI needs is a "strong and smart president, and the US has that".

He also said there was a "sick conspiracy" against AI and data centres and claimed that China would benefit from efforts to restrict the technology, adding, "Whoever wins AI, wins!"

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)