The following document is Shanghai’s set of regulations for the artificial intelligence industry. The regulations, which took effect in October 2022, aim to marshal supercomputing infrastructure, data centers, financing, and talent for the benefit of the city’s AI industry, and to apply AI technology in municipal governance.
The Chinese source text is available online at: http://www.spcsc.sh.cn/n8347/n8467/u1ai248931.html
An archived version of the Chinese source text is available online at: https://perma.cc/PQ8J-ARCA
U.S. $1 ≈ 7.0 Chinese Yuan Renminbi (RMB), as of December 12, 2022.
Regulations for the Promotion of the Development of the Artificial Intelligence Industry in Shanghai Municipality
(Adopted at the 44th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 15th Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress on September 22, 2022)
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 This Regulation was formulated in accordance with relevant laws and administrative regulations and based on the actual situation of the municipality in order to promote the high-quality development of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry and strengthen the functions of new generation AI science and technology (S&T) innovation sources, promote the deep integration of AI with the economy, everyday life, urban governance, and other fields, and create a world-class AI industrial cluster.
Article 2 As used in this Regulation, artificial intelligence refers to the system of theories, methods, technologies, and applications that uses computers and computer-controlled machines to simulate, extend, and expand human intelligence, perceive the environment, acquire knowledge, and use knowledge to achieve optimal results.
The AI industry refers to industries that perform software and hardware product development and production, system applications, and service integration involved in the research, development, and application of AI technology, such as the key basic components industry, intelligent software industry, and smart terminal industry, as well as related industries driven by the integration and application of AI technology in fields such as the economy, everyday life, and urban governance.
Article 3 This Regulation applies to activities such as AI S&T innovation, industrial development, application empowerment, and industrial governance within the administrative region of this municipality.
Article 4 The development of the AI industry in this municipality should persist in the principles of being people-centered (以人为本), using S&T for the common good, being innovation-driven, and being market-led. It should build an AI industrial system with open ecosystem integration, active innovation clusters, ubiquitous super scenarios (超级场景), agile governance and security and create a “Shanghai bastion” of AI with international influence.
Article 5 The Municipal People’s Government shall strengthen its leadership over the development of the municipality’s AI industry, organize the formulation of AI industry development plans and incorporate them into national economic and social development plans, and guide and coordinate the resolution of major issues in AI S&T innovation, industry cultivation, application scenario construction, and industrial ecosystem construction.
The district people’s governments shall, in accordance with the overall requirements and deployments of the municipality, do a good job in the development of the AI industry in their administrative areas and strengthen the application and promotion of AI scenarios and the construction of the industrial ecosystem.
Township people’s governments and sub-district offices shall strengthen AI S&T applications and improve the level of smartification (智慧化) of grassroots services and governance.
Article 6 The municipal economic and informatization departments (经济和信息化部门) are the main oversight departments (主管部门) for the AI industry in the municipality. They are responsible for planning, implementing, coordinating, and promoting the development of the AI industry.
The municipal development and reform departments shall coordinate major projects and infrastructure construction in the AI industry.
The municipal S&T departments shall support R&D and innovation for cutting-edge basic theories and key technologies for AI, promote the construction of major S&T innovation bases, and promote AI technology governance.
The municipal cybersecurity and informatization (网信) departments shall coordinate the cybersecurity and informatization work in the development of the AI industry and take responsibility for relevant network information content governance and supervision management work.
The municipal market supervision departments shall be responsible for AI industry measurement, standards, inspection and testing, certification and accreditation, and other work related to product quality supervision.
The municipal state-owned assets supervision and administration, human resources and social security, education, health, finance, statistics, national security, and other departments shall formulate relevant policies and measures within their respective jurisdictions to promote the development of the AI industry.
Article 7 The Municipal People’s Government shall establish a Municipal Artificial Intelligence Strategy Advisory Expert Committee (人工智能战略咨询专家委员会) composed of experts from institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions, enterprises, and other organizations to provide advice on major strategies and major decisions concerning the development of the AI industry in the municipality.
Article 8 AI industry associations and other AI-related industry organizations (collectively referred to as industry organizations) shall protect the legitimate rights and interests of their members in accordance with the law, promote the R&D and promotion of AI technology, promote industrial collaboration, strengthen industry self-discipline, carry out industry statistical monitoring, formulate standards and specifications, and promote the orderly development of the industry.
Article 9 This Municipality encourages citizens, legal persons, and other organizations to carry out various innovative activities in the field of AI provided such activities are not explicitly prohibited by laws, regulations, and relevant national and municipal regulations. The municipal economic and informatization departments, together with other relevant departments, shall explore the establishment of a negative checklist (负面清单) for fields including AI scientific research and application.
Article 10 This municipality shall promote the coordinated and integrated development of the AI industry in the Yangtze River Delta region and explore and jointly promote the convergence of cross-regional AI industry development plans, mutual recognition of technical standards, sharing and mutual recognition of test data in key fields, cost and benefit sharing for infrastructure construction, and other work.
The municipality shall expand cooperation with the AI industry in other regions in China.
Article 11 The municipality shall deepen international cooperation. Relying on the China International Import Expo, World Artificial Intelligence Conference, and other exhibition activities, we shall organize and introduce international high-level academic conferences and joint innovation institutions related to AI, and provide an international cooperation platform for relevant entities to participate in the development and governance of the AI industry.
The municipality shall support enterprises, institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions, and other organizations in strengthening international cooperation in areas such as AI basic research, technology development, industrial development, standards formulation, and personnel training.
Article 12 The municipality shall promote the popularization of science and technology in the field of AI, publicize new developments and new achievements in the AI industry through media such as radio, television, newspapers, and the Internet, and strengthen ethics, security, and social values guidance in the field of AI.
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