China rejects calls for ‘pacing’ on AI development, fearing it would entrench US tech lead
Chinese researchers and state media reject calls for a voluntary slowdown in artificial intelligence development. US tech leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, demand industry-wide "pacing" due to safety concerns. Chinese critics view this as an attempt to protect US incumbents and freeze out latecomers. The debate intensified on Monday with Altman's social media post on X.
China's pushback on AI development slowdowns directly challenges the US narrative of responsible innovation. Chinese researchers see calls for "pacing" as a move to entrench America’s technological lead. This reflects a strategic mistrust, not a shared concern for safety. It shows the accelerating AI arms race.
For Asia, this means continued rapid AI development, especially in China. Companies like Baidu and Alibaba will likely accelerate their own model training. Any slowdown would disproportionately benefit established US giants like OpenAI, making it harder for Asian firms to catch up. This stance protects China's domestic AI industry.
The thing to watch is whether US regulators propose mandatory rather than voluntary restrictions. If the US moves to hard limits, China will likely accelerate its own investment in foundational models. This would further bifurcate the global AI landscape.
Share this article
Related reading
6 stories
Xi touts Brics cooperation on AI as US titans flag tech risks
Xi Jinping's push for BRICS cooperation on AI echoes China's strategic mistrust of US tech dominance.
Chinese researchers chart 5-stage path toward ‘last AI built by humans’
Chinese researchers are already charting ambitious AI development paths, showing their commitment to rapid progress.
TSMC confirms talks with Elon Musk over Texas ‘Terafab’ but insists on operational control
China, US discuss AI as chip stock rout hits Asian markets
China’s CXMT gets pledge of support as provincial party chief vows chip-industry expansion
