Christopher Wray, the director of the FBI, told the world on Thursday his concerns over China's artificial intelligence program, claiming that it was unrestrained by the law, according to a report by AP.
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SHANGHAI, CHINA - JUNE 18: Cutting edge applications of Artificial Intelligence are seen on display at the Artificial Intelligence Pavilion of Zhangjiang Future Park during a state organized media tour on June 18, 2021 in Shanghai, China.
Concerns over China's AI Capabilities
Wray was addressing a panel at the World's Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland when he alleged that China's objectives for artificial intelligence were based on vast caches of stolen intellectual property and private information.
He adds that if Beijing's program is unchecked, the country might leverage developments in AI to further materialize its hacking operations, clamping down on dissidents, and intellectual property theft.
Wrays resonates with many US officials who have previously expressed concerns over China's AI capabilities as well. For example, US counterintelligence officials in 2021 warned academics, business owners, and government officials about the harms of welcoming Chinese investment due to its AI goals.
A study by the Center for Security in Engineering Technology (CSET) in 2022 found that US chip manufacturers have been supplying China with highly-advanced chips, which are crucial components for AI technologies.
Public documents from the Chinese military's procurement of AI processors indicate that almost all of them were produced by US companies such as Intel, Nvidia, AMD, and Microsemi.
This may have prompted the Biden administration to prohibit the export of semiconductors to China, fearing that they may be used for the country's military goals.
New Strategy
Meanwhile, Beijing was reportedly employing a new strategy that would counter US forces helping Taiwan with the help of AI. Reports claim that China will bank on "smart deterrence" to establish its dominance in Taiwan.
According to Ni Yongjie, deputy director of the Shanghai Institute of Taiwan Studies, the People's Liberation Army is now researching the concept of smart deterrence.
The expert further asserted that if the PLA can get its house in order, it might soon become a world leader in intelligent warfare.
Artificial intelligence is used for a wide range of purposes that go beyond robots or computer programs to make people's lives easier.
It also has a wide range of uses in the medical field, where specialists and developers use it to more accurately detect ailments and disorders that are still not fully understood.
Now, US officials are worried that AI's advancements might be exploited by its main tech rival China.
Many nations have concentrated on using artificial intelligence as part of their governance processes and agencies to improve their systems. The Cyberspace Administration of China has launched an initiative to focus on AI development in order to prevent its exploitation and misuse in the current technological environment.
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