2019 was the year AI became a political, human rights and trade issue. Where does this leave China’s AI superstars?
- Some of China’s most prominent AI start-ups were put on a US trade blacklist this year, as the industry faces greater scrutiny from the world’s largest economy
- The politicisation of AI threatens to further widen the divide between the world’s two biggest economies
In a conference in May, Kerry said Chinese President Xi Jinping’s announcement was not the “wisest” move: “It would have probably been smart to go try to do it and not announce it, because the announcement was heard in Washington and elsewhere.”
His words foreboded a storm approaching Chinese AI firms. Reports days later indicated Washington was considering placing several Chinese surveillance companies on the US Entity List, the same export control blacklist telecoms equipment giant Huawei was put on, effectively banning them from purchasing core components from American companies.
Trump administration officials confirmed the news in October, announcing that eight Chinese companies – including national AI champions SenseTime, Megvii and Yitu – were to be added to the Entity List, along with 20 police departments.
“These entities have been implicated in human rights violations and abuses in the implementation of China’s campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, and high-technology surveillance against Uygurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups”, the department filing said.
It was the first time human rights was cited as a reason for inclusion on the US trade blacklist.
