China’s passions in artificial intelligence stand out in the competitive environment of international systems, not just for their size but also for their distinctive strategic strategy.
By 2030, the Chinese Communist Party announced its intention to beat the United States in terms of AI leadership. This program, however, is less about pioneer book systems and more about carefully adapting existing ones to assist state economic, political and social objectives.
While both China and the United States are constantly pursuing AI systems, their methods differ significantly. With organisations like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford and digital giants like Google and Microsoft driving advances in machine learning, the US has usually been ahead of the curve in basic AI research and innovation. This approach emphasizes innovation in contrast to China’s focus on modifying and utilizing existing technologies for certain state objectives.
A decentralized network of academic institutions, private companies, and government agencies, frequently with competing interests and a focus on business programs, is the main force behind the US’s creation of artificial intelligence. In comparison, China’s AI technique is more centralized and state-directed, with a clear emphasis on supporting state activities such as social control and financial planning.
AI for philosophical handle
China’s AI method is grounded in its effort to integrate the technology into the machinery of the government’s intellectual control. A prime example is the , Xue Xi chatbot , developed by researchers at China ‘s , top-ranked school, Tsinghua University.
Xue Xi was trained in piece on” Xi Jinping Thought” to terrify users of the Communist Party philosophy, which was later likely to be party members in the state, in contrast to Western AI models designed to foster open-ended speech. China’s huge language model bots are a step ahead of the loves of ChatGPT in one value: political repression.
This is not just a one-time initiative; it is also a component of a wider trend. AI-driven surveillance systems, like the , facial recognition technology , deployed across the Xinjiang region of China, enable the government to maintain tight control over the area’s minority Muslim Uyghur population.
These technologies are not groundbreaking. They expand on already existing innovations while being carefully tuned to support the Communist Party’s efforts to uphold social order and thwart dissention. China’s AI prowess is not derived from the development of the most recent technology, but rather from the mastery and application of AI in ways that are in line with its ideological goals.
AI for economic control
China’s AI strategy is also deeply intertwined with its economic ambitions. Faced with , slowing growth, the Communist Party views , technology as the essential tool , for pulling the country out of its economic slowdown.
This is especially apparent in industries like manufacturing and logistics, where AI is employed to improve efficiency and maintain China’s position as a leader in global supply chains. For instance, businesses like Alibaba, an online retailer, have created AI-driven logistics platforms to control delivery times and manage warehouse operations, keeping China the center of the world.
Additionally, China ‘s , social credit system, which rates citizens on their civic and financial behavior, represents a significant strategic initiative where AI plays an increasingly crucial role.
The Chinese government’s system was created to control and influence citizen behavior on a large scale. AI is still being used to manage and analyze large amounts of data, such as financial transactions, online interactions, and social relationships in real time, despite its incomplete implementation across the entire social credit system.
This data are then used to assign scores that can , affect various aspects of life, from loan approvals to travel permissions. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in the system, it is likely, I believe, to further reinforce state control and ensure societal compliance, prioritizing government oversight over personal autonomy.
Strategic exports
On the international stage, China is , exporting its AI technologies , to expand its influence, particularly in developing nations.
Through the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese tech giants such as Huawei and ZTE are  , providing AI-driven surveillance systems , to governments in Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America. These systems, often framed as , tools for improving public safety, are part of a larger strategy to export China’s governance model.
For instance, in Zimbabwe, Chinese firms have helped , implement a nationwide facial recognition system , under the guise of combating crime. Political activists in Zimbabwe fear that technology is being used to monitor political opponents and activists, which is how it is used in China.
China is expanding its market share while also promoting its authoritarian model as a viable alternative to Western democracy by exporting AI technologies that are tightly integrated with state control.
AI for strategic military advantage
China’s military ambitions are also , tightly linked to its AI strategy. The People’s Liberation Army, China’s military, is , investing heavily in AI-driven autonomous systems, including drones and robotic platforms. Although China is adapting these technologies to fit its strategic needs, they are not necessarily the most advanced in the world.
China is developing artificial intelligence ( AI ) to support its naval operations in the South China Sea, a region of significant geopolitical conflict. China is deploying autonomous submarines and surveillance drones , to monitor and potentially disrupt , foreign military activities in the region.
This tactical use of AI in military applications highlights China’s tendency to rely on existing technologies to achieve particular geopolitical goals rather than to search for new things just for the sake of innovation. China and the U. S. are racing to develop – and deploy – AI-powered military drones.
Calculated strategy
China’s approach to AI is a calculated strategy of adaptation and application, rather than raw innovation. China is enhancing its domestic control by mastering the use of existing technologies and aligning them with state objectives, as well as changing the dynamics of global power.
Whether through ideological indoctrination, economic control, strategic exports or military advancements, China’s AI playbook is a powerful reminder that in the realm of technology, how tools are used can be just as transformative as the tools themselves.
Shaoyu Yuan is a dean’s fellow at the Division of Global Affairs, Rutgers University – Newark.
This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.