China's AI development strategy focuses on societal impact and economic growth, says national political adviser

Renowned Chinese artificial intelligence scholar Wang Jian stated that China's approach to developing AI goes beyond focusing solely on the technology itself and its application scenarios. Instead, it considers AI's broader role in driving societal advancement, which he believes can, in turn, further advance the technology.

Wang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, made these remarks in a recent interview during the country's ongoing annual sessions of the top legislature and political advisory body.

He highlighted the draft government work report, which stresses the need to "take more effective measures to facilitate employment and entrepreneurship through better adaptation to the development of AI technologies".

"This is about how AI can better promote employment and expand its contribution to the broader economy," said Wang, director of Zhejiang Lab and founder of Alibaba Group Holding's cloud computing unit.

From this perspective, China's strategy extends far beyond AI technologies themselves and their specific application scenarios, placing greater emphasis on AI's broader role in driving social development, he said.

Once AI is able to boost employment and stimulate growth in more sectors, it will, in turn, help promote technological progress, said the expert.

"I believe that when any technology develops to a certain level, it will always bring about this kind of mutual promotion," Wang said.

He cited the invention of paper and electricity as examples, noting that both gave rise to many new products and types of jobs. "Technology does not directly create companies or professions, but creative people can use new technologies to create many new resources," he said.