The following white paper from a Chinese think tank describes the state of artificial intelligence in China and the world. It divides its focus among AI innovation and breakthroughs, engineering and other practical uses of AI, and AI governance initiatives in the areas of trustworthiness and safety.
The Chinese source text is available online at: http://www.caict.ac.cn/kxyj/qwfb/bps/202204/P020220412613255124271.pdf
An archived version of the Chinese source text is available at: https://perma.cc/SAC8-GZ5D
U.S. $1 ≈ 6.6 Chinese Yuan Renminbi (RMB), as of May 16, 2022.
Artificial Intelligence White Paper
(2022)
China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT)
April 2022
Preface
Against the background of the new technological and scientific revolution and industrial transformation, the deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and industry is an inevitable choice to release the multiplication effect of digitalization, accelerate the development of strategic emerging industries, and build comprehensive competitive advantages. At present, the rapid penetration of AI into various industries is promoting cross-cutting integration and development among emerging industries, among emerging industries and traditional industries, and between technology and society. At the outset of the “14th Five-Year Plan,” comprehensively sorting out the development trends of AI is of great relevance and significance.
This white paper focuses on providing a description from the dimensions of AI policy, technology, applications, and governance. At the policy level, the strategic position of AI has been continuously strengthened in China and abroad to promote the release of AI dividends. At the technical and application level, AI technology represented by deep learning has developed rapidly, and new technologies have begun to be explored and applied; engineering capabilities (工程化能力) have been continuously enhanced and continue to be deeply applied in fields such as healthcare, manufacturing, and autonomous driving; and trustworthy AI technology has attracted widespread attention from society. At the same time, governance-level work has also received a high level of attention from the world. The regulatory process continues to accelerate in various countries, and industrial practices based on trustworthy AI continue to deepen.
On the whole, this White Paper holds that AI has gradually entered a new stage, and the development direction in the next step will be defined and guided by the “three-dimensional” (3D) coordinates of technological innovation, engineering practices (工程实践), and trustworthiness and safety (可信安全). Specifically, the first dimension highlights innovation. Innovations centered around algorithms and computing power (compute) will continue to constantly emerge. The second dimension highlights engineering. Engineering capabilities have gradually become the key factor that allows AI to empower thousands of industries on a large scale. The third dimension highlights trustworthiness. The development of responsible and trustworthy AI has become a consensus, and the implementation of abstract governance principles throughout the AI lifecycle process will become the focus.
Due to the rapid development of AI, its wide range of influence, and its unprecedented degree of influence, we need to further deepen our understanding of AI. We welcome your criticisms and corrections for any shortcomings in this White Paper.
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