Rights statement: This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in International Affairs following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Jinghan Zeng, Artificial intelligence and China's authoritarian governance, International Affairs, Volume 96, Issue 6, November 2020, Pages 1441–1459 is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/ia/article/96/6/1441/5922010
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Artificial Intelligence and China’s Authoritarian Governance
AU - Zeng, Jinghan
N1 - This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in International Affairs following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Jinghan Zeng, Artificial intelligence and China's authoritarian governance, International Affairs, Volume 96, Issue 6, November 2020, Pages 1441–1459 is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/ia/article/96/6/1441/5922010
PY - 2020/11/1
Y1 - 2020/11/1
N2 - China has adopted a proactive and strategic approach to embrace the age of artificial intelligence (AI). This article argues that China's bold AI practices are part of its broad and incoherent adaptation strategy to governance by digital means. AI is part of a digital technology package that the Chinese authoritarian regime has actively employed not only to improve public service, but also to strengthen its authoritarian governance. China's digital progress benefits from its huge internet market, strong state power and weak civil awareness, making it more competitive than western democratic societies where privacy concern restricts their AI development. However, China's ambitious AI plan contains considerable risks; its overall impact depends on how AI affects major sources of political legitimacy including economic growth, social stability and ideology. China's approach is gambling on its success in (a) delivering a booming AI economy, (b) ensuring a smooth social transformation towards the age of AI and (c) proving ideological superiority of its authoritarian and communist values.
AB - China has adopted a proactive and strategic approach to embrace the age of artificial intelligence (AI). This article argues that China's bold AI practices are part of its broad and incoherent adaptation strategy to governance by digital means. AI is part of a digital technology package that the Chinese authoritarian regime has actively employed not only to improve public service, but also to strengthen its authoritarian governance. China's digital progress benefits from its huge internet market, strong state power and weak civil awareness, making it more competitive than western democratic societies where privacy concern restricts their AI development. However, China's ambitious AI plan contains considerable risks; its overall impact depends on how AI affects major sources of political legitimacy including economic growth, social stability and ideology. China's approach is gambling on its success in (a) delivering a booming AI economy, (b) ensuring a smooth social transformation towards the age of AI and (c) proving ideological superiority of its authoritarian and communist values.
U2 - 10.1093/ia/iiaa172
DO - 10.1093/ia/iiaa172
M3 - Journal article
VL - 96
SP - 1441
EP - 1459
JO - International Affairs
JF - International Affairs
SN - 0020-5850
IS - 6
ER -