China’s government has announced the world’s most far-reaching strictures to date governing artificial intelligence.

Many are political, not technical.

Among the highlights: AI developers must ensure their creations reflect the values of socialism, avoid anything that hints at challenging government power, or that advocates secession, terrorism, or any actions that could damage “national unity and social stability.”

AIs also must not promote ethnic hatred or division, obscenity, violence, or “false” or “harmful” information.

The rules also call for respect for intellectual property and personal privacy rights, including obtaining individuals’ permission before including any of their personal data in an AI.

To ensure the rules are adhered to, AI developers also are required to obtain government-issued licenses for their products, giving officials another way to inspect new AIs.

The rules are effective on 15 August this year.

TRENDPOST: Many of Beijing’s stipulations are unlikely to find a significant number of fans in Western nations. If China’s rules are used as a model, countries will pick and choose from them rather than adopting them wholesale.

However, the size of China’s market will prod AI companies to make tweaks to their AIs to accede to China’s demands.