The following document, issued by the PRC government’s standards-setting body in 2020, calls for the formulation of specific standards across the full spectrum of basic and applied AI technologies. The standards are particularly detailed in the fields of natural language processing and speech-related applications of AI.
The Chinese source text is available online at: http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2020-08/09/5533454/files/bf4f158874434ad096636ba297e3fab3.pdf
An archived version of the Chinese source text is available at: https://perma.cc/7LST-LA9Q
U.S. $1 ≈ 6.4 Chinese Yuan Renminbi (RMB), as of November 15, 2021.
Guidelines for the Construction of a National New Generation Artificial Intelligence Standards System
The Guidelines for the Construction of a National New Generation Artificial Intelligence Standards System have been formulated in order to implement the decision and deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council on the development of artificial intelligence (AI), to promote the continuous self-optimization of AI technology in the open-source and open industrial ecosystem, to give full play to the leading role of basic general purpose standards, ethical standards, security standards, and privacy standards, to guide the formulation, revision, and coordination of AI national standards, industry standards, and group standards, and to form a new pattern in which standards lead the comprehensive and standardized development of the AI industry.
1. General Requirements
(1) Guiding ideology:
Fully implement the spirit of the 19th Party Congress and the Second, Third, and Fourth Plenums of the 19th Central Committee, implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council on the development of new generation AI, combine market-driven and government guidance, and follow the principles of “overall planning, categorized policies, market-driven, urgent use first, cross-industry integration, coordinated advancement, independent innovation (自主创新), and open collaboration.” Take domestic demand as the foundation while also considering the international picture, establish a system of national standards for new generation AI, and strengthen top-level design and macro guidance on standards. Accelerate the conversion of innovative technologies and applications into standards, strengthen the implementation and supervision of standards, and promote the in-depth integration of innovative achievements and industries. Pay attention to coordination on and support for related standards systems such as for smart manufacturing, the industrial internet, robotics, and the Internet of Vehicles (IoV). Deepen international exchanges and cooperation in AI standards, pay attention to the synergy of international and domestic standards, give full play to the supporting and leading role of standards in the development of AI, and safeguard high-quality development.
(2) Construction Goals
By 2021, clarify the top-level design of AI standardization, study the general rules of standards system construction and standard development, clarify the relationship between standards, guide the orderly development of AI standardization, and complete pre-research work on more than 20 key standards such as for key general purpose technologies, key niche technologies, and ethics.
By 2023, an AI standards system will be initially established, focusing on the development of data, algorithms, systems, services, and other key and urgently needed standards, and take the lead in advancements in industries and fields such as manufacturing, transportation, finance, security, home furnishing, elder care, environmental protection, education, healthcare, and justice. Build an AI standards testing and verification platform to provide public service capabilities.
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