In an unexpected move, both the US and China have announced new regulations regarding the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI). Despite being fierce rivals in the tech trade, both countries share a common concern over the accountability and potential abuse of AI.
On Tuesday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a branch of the US Department of Commerce, issued a formal public request for input on what policies should shape an AI accountability ecosystem. The request includes questions about data access, measuring accountability, and how approaches to AI might change across different industry sectors such as employment or healthcare.
Meanwhile, China's Cyberspace Administration (CAC) released a draft set of regulations for AI, which cover topics such as data validation, discrimination prevention, and security assessments. Companies developing AI tools will need to submit security assessments to the government before making them available to the public. If inappropriate content is produced by their platforms, companies must update their technology within three months to avoid reproducing similar content, or face fines, suspensions, or criminal investigations.
Notably, the CAC also stated that any content produced by AI tools must align with the country's core socialist values. This announcement came on the same day as Alibaba Cloud revealed a new language model called Tongyi Qianwen, which it plans to make available as a ChatGPT-style frontend for all business applications. Last month, Chinese internet services and AI giant Baidu announced its own ChatGPT alternative, Ernie bot.
As the use of AI continues to grow across industries, these regulations may have a significant impact on the development and deployment of AI tools. Both the US and China are taking steps to ensure that AI is developed and used in a responsible, accountable manner, with a focus on preventing potential misuse and discrimination. It remains to be seen how these regulations will be implemented and enforced, and whether they will set a precedent for other countries to follow.
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| US and China announce regulations for accountable AI |
AI Regulation and Innovation
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow and evolve, governments around the world are grappling with the question of how to regulate this powerful technology. While some governments have taken a clear stance on AI regulation, others have opted for a more hands-off approach.
Last month, the UK government announced that it would not delegate responsibility for AI governance to a new single regulator, citing a desire to avoid harsh legislation that could hinder innovation. Instead, the government urged existing regulators to enact their own laws, tailored to the specific needs of their industry.
However, this approach has been met with criticism from industry experts who argue that existing frameworks may not be equipped to regulate the complex and multi-layered nature of some AI tools. As a result, consolidation between different regulatory regimes may become inevitable.
Meanwhile, data regulators in the UK and Italy have issued warnings to tech companies regarding the protection of personal information when developing and deploying large-language, productive AI models. Italy's data privacy regulator has even banned the use of ChatGPT due to alleged privacy breaches.
In addition, a group of 1,100 technology leaders and scientists has called for a six-month hiatus from developing systems more powerful than OpenAI's newly released GPT-4. This move reflects a growing concern over the potential misuse of AI and the need to establish responsible use technologies.
According to Gartner analyst Frank Buytendijk, governments and legislators tend to follow a certain natural path when it comes to technology innovation and regulation. Initially, mistakes are made as the technology is used and developed. Then, regulation begins to emerge, allowing for interpretation of law and case law to inform responsible use. Finally, responsible use technologies are established.
As AI continues to develop and shape the world around us, finding the right balance between innovation and regulation will be key to unlocking its full potential while ensuring its responsible and ethical use.