AI, big data to be deployed to fight graft

China's top anti-graft authorities are intensifying efforts to combat emerging and concealed corruption by deploying information technology, big data and artificial intelligence to pinpoint irregularities and streamline case-solving, recent official disclosures show.

A communique from the recently concluded fifth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection highlights technology empowerment and the advancement of a digital disciplinary inspection and supervision system, with an emphasis on law-based and regulated application of technology.

During the session, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed the need to track new trends in corruption. He called for innovative oversight methods to promptly detect and accurately identify corrupt practices, thereby enhancing the penetration of anti-graft efforts.

The CCDI's fourth plenary session communique issued in January 2025 also emphasized harnessing big data and information technology to strengthen work conduct improvement and anti-corruption drives.

Liu Yi, an associate professor at the University of International Business and Economics' School of Marxism, said that compared with 2025, this year's priorities have shifted sharply toward precision, rule of law and digital intelligence. The focus on "enhanced anti-corruption penetration" responds to the evolution of graft toward capitalization, option-style schemes and greater concealment — challenges that traditional one-dimensional oversight cannot effectively address, he said.

To implement these goals, Liu urged the construction of cross-departmental digital supervision platforms to analyze capital flows, equity relationships and kinship ties, exposing shadow companies and unregistered banks. He also called for clearly defining new forms of corruption in law to enable rule-based case handling, and for strengthening international cooperation to pursue fugitives and recover illicit assets across borders.

"This penetrative governance is more than a technical upgrade; it represents a shift in oversight mindset, aiming to eradicate corruption through transparent power operations and targeted crackdowns," Liu said.

In line with these directives, disciplinary bodies are advancing initiatives including big data resource centers, public power supervision platforms and integrated case-handling workspaces to improve the quality and efficiency of anti-corruption work.

Yang Weidong, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law's Institute of Rule of Law, said a technology-enabled anti-corruption initiative has become imperative as new forms of corruption grow increasingly concealed, often facilitated by modern technologies.

"The core challenge is detection. Only by identifying problems first can subsequent governance proceed," Yang said. He added that big data and related tools are crucial for rapid evidence collection, enabling accurate identification of violations and appropriate punishment.

Yang noted that while the popularization of the internet has enhanced global connectivity, it has also created loopholes for corrupt activities. Some corruption is directed domestically but carried out overseas, while others exploit regulatory gaps in areas such as virtual currencies. With data and servers for cross-border crimes often located abroad, conventional supervision methods struggle to make headway, he said, stressing that "as illegal activities embrace technology, supervision must proactively leverage technological empowerment".

A high-profile case illustrates this approach. Li Yong, former general manager of China National Offshore Oil Corporation, has been under investigation since March 2024 for severe cross-border corruption involving overseas projects. More than 83 percent of his illicit gains were stashed abroad through associates.

Investigators used data analysis as a breakthrough, reviewing extensive foreign-language materials, analyzing decades of Li's work records, and cross-referencing business relationships, project documents and personal connections to identify links with partners and subordinates. He was sentenced in August 2025 to 14 years in prison for bribery.

A recent CCDI coproduced documentary outlined how public power supervision is undergoing a profound transformation, with digitalization driven by information technology and big data emerging as a key approach to advancing the anti-corruption strategy of ensuring officials do not have the audacity, opportunity or desire to be corrupt, and delivering more systematic governance outcomes.

Yang said a technology-enabled anti-corruption campaign requires more than simply applying tools. It demands deeper integration of technology with anti-corruption initiatives and clean governance efforts. The focus should now be on improving data connectivity and aggregation mechanisms, as well as standardizing data use and technological procedures.

He also urged improvements to supporting legal frameworks, including strict compliance with the Personal Information Protection Law.

"The primary goal is combating corruption, but preventing the abuse of information and technology, clarifying application boundaries and safeguarding legitimate rights are equally critical," Yang said. "Balancing these aspects is essential to ensure the initiative does not deviate from its fundamental purpose."

yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn