AI Photo:VCG

Multiple Chinese academic institutes on Tuesday unveiled an upgraded version of the model law on artificial intelligence (AI), which added details focusing on open source AI and intellectual property (IP) protection. 

Experts said the upgraded law shows the nation's efforts in promoting AI innovation and deepening integration with the real economy.

The 2.0 version of the model law on AI, proposed by experts, was unveiled at a conference targeting AI governance and innovation on Tuesday, which was co-hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Internet Society of China, together with multiple leading Chinese universities including Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and others, the 21st Century Business Herald reported on Tuesday.

Liu Gang, chief economist at the Chinese Institute of New Generation AI Development Strategies, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the new version of the law has some obvious improvements based on the previous version. 

The new version specifies the legal boundaries of AI-based business activities, making it easier for industry players to follow suit in business operations, said Liu, noting that it also proposed the establishment of AI open source communities as well as related guidelines for companies to follow.

The growing integration of AI into the real economy has sparked new demand for IP innovation rules. As a response, the drafted model law on AI introduced fresh IP protection measures. These include specific provisions for handling training data and personal information in the research and development phase, as well as safeguards for AI-generated output and the identification of infringement.

The initial release of the model law on AI, Version 1.0, in August 2023 garnered significant interest from both the domestic and international AI sectors. 

According to the report, Version 2.0 will be translated into English, French and Spanish. This translation effort aims to enhance international collaboration in AI governance and enable China to glean insights from the experience of other nations.

As of March, a total of 117 AI-related large models had been registered with the Cyberspace Administration of China, according to official data. 

Global Times