New AI supply chain standard brings together Ant, Tencent, Baidu and Microsoft, Google, Meta

The new standard, introduced under a UN framework, is meant to guard against risks such as data leaks, model tampering and supplier non-compliance

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Peter Major (third from the left), Chair of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development and Honorary Chairman of the World Digital Technology Academy (WDTA), stands with other attendees at the event unveiling the “Large Language Model Security Requirements for Supply Chain” on September 06, 2024. Photo: 2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund

Wency Chenin ShanghaiandCoco Fengin Beijing

Published: 1:31pm, 6 Sep 2024Updated: 1:40pm, 6 Sep 2024

China’s Ant Group, Tencent Holdings, and Baidu have teamed up with US tech giants Microsoft, Google, and Meta Platforms to develop the world’s first international standard for large language model (LLM) security for supply chains, as the need for artificial intelligence (AI) governance grows more urgent.

The companies unveiled their “Large Language Model Security Requirements for Supply Chain” on Friday with the World Digital Technology Academy (WDTA), during a side event at the Inclusion Conference on the Bund in Shanghai.

This new standard, which covers the entire life cycle of LLMs, is part of the WDTA’s broader AI Safety, Trust, and Responsibility initiative. Established in Geneva in April 2023 under a United Nations framework, the WDTA aims to provide comprehensive measures for managing security risks across the supply chain, such as data leaks, model tampering and supplier non-compliance.

The standard was drafted and reviewed by experts from leading Chinese and US technology firms, along with top academic and industry institutions, including the Cloud Security Alliance Greater China Region and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

“International cooperation on AI-related standards has become increasingly crucial,” WDTA Honorary Chairman Peter Major told the audience during the side event at the Inclusion Conference on the Bund. Photo: 2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund

“International cooperation on AI-related standards has become increasingly crucial as artificial intelligence continues to advance and impact various sectors globally,” Peter Major, Chair of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development and Honorary Chairman of the WDTA, said during a panel discussion.