Job fears, security risks spark call for Chinese government ‘red lines’ in AI applications | South China Morning Post

Chinese government advisers are calling for government-set “red lines” in artificial intelligence development and applications, as mounting threats of job displacement and data security challenges spark concerns in the country.

Jiang Xiaojuan, former deputy secretary general of the State Council, said at the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference in Hainan province that precaution was needed when using AI simply to reduce labour costs.

“Those that do not improve service quality or promote environmental sustainability, but simply replace human labour – such applications of AI must be approached with careful scrutiny,” said Jiang, currently director of National Data Expert Advisory Committee.

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The deployment of AI was not merely a question of market efficiency, nor could it be left entirely to market forces, Jiang said on Tuesday.

“That’s a question policymakers should consider,” she said. “When [technology] causes extreme harm to people, the government must step in.”

Precaution is needed when using AI simply to reduce labour costs, a speaker said at the Boao Forum. Photo: Shutterstock

Xue Lan, dean of Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University, where he is also the director of the Institute for AI International Governance, suggested drawing clear red lines for AI applications at the forum on Wednesday.

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