For over a year, China has moved to lead the creation of the first global norms for AI. Now, the U.S. is developing its own AI standards, as the two rivals compete to shape a technology that could define the future balance of authoritarian and democratic power. What's happening: China's ambitions are a dimension of its all-hands push to lead the world in frontier technologies — especially AI — by the end of the next decade. Having been relegated to the sidelines in the last big cycle of standard-setting at the birth of the internet, Beijing is laser-focused on dominating this new round. As AI moves increasingly into actual commercial use, the leading nations are positioning themselves to standardize the field to their own advantage. This includes everything from minute technical standards to procedures for removing bias from algorithms. Countries and companies have a lot to gain from leaving a mark on the process. Beijing got out of the starting gate first: Last year, China published a detailed report focused on ethical norms and technical standards that are meant to allow companies to work together more easily. A few months later, Beijing hosted the first major international meeting on AI standards. The response: The Trump administration has vigorously pushed back against China's tech drive. Trump earlier this year signed an executive order designed to keep Beijing at bay on AI. One short-term risk of this international rush is a "rebordering" of AI, in which the field will develop according to different rules in the U.S., Europe and China. Thus far, AI has been characterized by significant international collaboration. The big question: Where a potential future global policy will settle. Everyone realizes that they will have to compromise to yield the prize — unitary rules.
The US has begun an attempt to develop metrics and standards for research in AI , aiming to make up ground lost to China , which hosted the first major international conference on AI standards in 2018 . Analysts said it enabled Chinese experts to influence " ethical and social norm development " , potentially shaping the sector for the rest of the world . They warned the addition of standards , as well as EU and OECD guidelines , could potentially reduce levels of international collaboration AI standards have previously enjoyed .