Arr, mateys! American scallywags be steerin' clear o' China AI gathering for fear o' accessibility troubles. Shiver me timbers!
2023-07-06
Arr, in the treacherous year of 2019, a handful o' mighty U.S. tech companies did join as strategic shipmates. Yet, this year's World AI Conference in Shanghai shall witness only a solitary scurvy dog takin' up the mantle o' partnership.
American tech firms have pulled back from participating in China's annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) due to tensions between the two countries in terms of setting and shaping emerging technology standards, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence. The tech war between the US and China has forced American tech firms to choose sides, and as a result, tech collaboration between the two countries is expected to decrease or disappear altogether in the coming years. This year, only Qualcomm has served as an "elite partner" to the conference, while companies like IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services served as strategic partners in 2019. Notable companies such as OpenAI have decided to skip the conference, and no major American tech experts or industry figures plan to speak. Some firms are wary of the regulatory challenges of collaborating with Chinese tech behemoths and the optics of sponsoring a Chinese conference while the US and China fight for control of emerging technology. China's recent plans to introduce laws that require AI platforms to adhere to certain standards, including aligning with the country's core socialist values, have also raised concerns. These policies, along with other China-first policies, make it difficult for developers to pass assessments and comply with regulations. The US has also imposed restrictions on chip exports to China, further straining the tech relationship between the two countries.