At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, start-up founder Qu Dongqi showcased a video that introduced an old photograph using AI technology from Chinese internet company Kuaishou. This technology rivals leading American systems, and unlike its American counterpart, Sora, it is available to the general public, as reported by the Straitstimes.
China’s progress in AI development is accelerating, with companies like Kuaishou releasing video generators and 01.AI, co-founded by Kai-Fu Lee, unveiling chatbot technology that scores nearly as well as leading American technologies on common benchmark tests. New technology from Alibaba has also leapt to the top of a leaderboard rating open-source AI systems. While the US remains at the forefront of AI research, China’s willingness to release its technologies to consumers and share underlying software code with other businesses and developers could give it an edge in the future.
The Rise of China’s AI Technology: Catching Up with the US
China is rapidly closing the gap with the United States in artificial intelligence (AI) development, with several Chinese companies unveiling AI technologies that rival leading American systems. These technologies are already being used by consumers, businesses, and independent software developers across the globe.
One such example is a video generator developed by Chinese internet company Kuaishou, which was showcased at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. The technology allows old photographs to be brought to life, with individuals in the photo moving and interacting with each other. This technology is reminiscent of Sora, a video generator unveiled by American start-up OpenAI in 2024, but unlike Sora, it is available to the general public.
The Power of Open-Source AI
The rapid progress of China’s AI development can be attributed to its willingness to release technologies to consumers and share underlying software code with other businesses and software developers. This approach, known as open-source, allows others to quickly build and distribute their own products using the same technologies. Open-source has been a cornerstone of computer software, internet, and now artificial intelligence development.
China’s efforts could have enormous implications for AI technology in the years to come. If US regulators stifle the progress of American open-source projects, China could gain a significant edge. If the best open-source technologies come from China, US developers could end up building their systems atop Chinese technologies.
The Constraints Faced by Chinese Tech Companies
Despite the rapid progress made by Chinese tech companies, they still face significant constraints on the development of their AI systems. One major constraint is compliance with Beijing’s strict censorship regime, which extends to generative AI technologies. Kuaishou’s new video generator Kling appears to have been trained to follow these rules, with text prompts containing sensitive topics yielding error messages.
Another concern for China is its ability to amass the computing chips it needs to build increasingly powerful technologies. The White House has instituted a trade embargo designed to prevent Chinese companies from using the most powerful versions of computer chips essential to building artificial intelligence.
The US Response: Maintaining Leadership in AI Research
The US remains at the forefront of AI research, and officials have resolved to keep it that way. A group of lawmakers has introduced a bill that would make it easier for the White House to control the export of AI software built in the US. Others are trying to limit the progress of open-source technologies that have helped fuel the rise of similar systems in China.
Top American companies are also exploring new technologies that aim to eclipse the powers of today’s chatbots and video generators. However, many in China’s tech industry believe that open-source technology could help them grow despite these constraints.
The Future of AI Development: Collaboration or Competition?
The development of AI technology is a complex and multifaceted issue, with both collaboration and competition playing important roles. While the US has built its leadership in AI through collaboration between companies and researchers, China’s tech industry believes that open-source technology could help them grow despite constraints.
As AI systems require enormous resources – talent, data, and computing power – Beijing has made it clear that the benefits accruing from such investments should be shared. The Chinese government has poured money into AI projects and subsidized resources like computing centers.
The question remains: will the future of AI development be characterized by collaboration or competition between nations? Only time will tell.
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