The U.S. and China are locked in a competition to lead the AI revolution. While America’s frontier labs have a small leading edge in their most advanced models, Chinese firms are not far behind, and are producing high-performing models at far lower costs. Beijing is also competing to shape the narrative around AI regulation and governance as part of its effort—aimed at both foreign and domestic audiences—to show that China’s vision of AI governance is more inclusive and equitable than that of the United States. But, as with many other aspects of the Chinese Communist Party’s messaging, the reality is more complicated.
On the global stage this past week, Xi Jinping heralded the formation of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), a Shanghai-based AI hub for the Global South that already has 29 member states including Indonesia, Brazil, Senegal, Russia and Pakistan. In his remarks at the event, Xi promised that China will partner with Global South nations to bridge the AI divide and, without explicitly naming the U.S., criticized any attempt to dominate the AI field. “AI development should not be a solo performance by a single country, but a symphony of international cooperation,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the domestic realm, Chinese courts have in recent months handed down decisions that protect workers from being replaced by AI. Judges in these cases cited protections in the 2008 Labor Contract Law, China’s most protective labor law by far, which forbids companies from mass firings under many conditions.