What do China’s plans for ‘comprehensive’ new AI law mean for future of technology?

The State Council has outlined its plans to ‘accelerate comprehensive legislation for the sound development’ of the technology

China has confirmed for the first time that it is drawing up a “comprehensive law” on artificial intelligence.

Industry insiders said the move showed China had accumulated enough practical experience and was speeding up its governance as a result.

A legislative work plan for the year issued last week by the State Council, China’s cabinet, outlined plans to “improve AI governance and accelerate comprehensive legislation for the sound development of AI”.

It said the government would move faster to refine legislation concerning the protection and regulation of data, computing power, algorithms, property rights, cybersecurity and supply chains.

It was the first time Chinese authorities had used such detailed language to describe planned legislation on AI. Last year’s work plan simply said the authorities would “promote the legislative work for AI development”.

At the same time, the National People’s Congress, China’s national legislature, listed AI legislation as an item to be reviewed for the third year in a row.