Since then, however, expectations about Apple’s level of capitulation have only become more onerous. Algorithms that determine what the public sees online or through AI must be registered with Chinese authorities, and the novel AI legislation focuses largely on policing the exact public interface models that Western tech companies want to engage with.
“You have to apply to the regulators. You may have to provide a lot of details such as coding… many tech companies may not be willing to do this,” says Tan.
The problem is that China can afford to implement such measures because the balance of power is in its favor – more than ever.
“China is no longer just playing a supporting role in many areas of technology,” adds Tan. “China is already rising and taking the lead.”
Business as usual?
From a Western perspective, China’s policies on generative AI range between admirable and disturbing.
“The regulation contains a number of vague censorship requirements, such as that content based on deep synthesis must “be within the appropriate political direction,” not “disrupt the economic and social order,” and not be used to generate counterfeit news,” we read. The Carnegie Fund document about the state of affairs in 2023.
“Deep synthesis” is the term CAC uses instead of generative AI. China’s restrictions would prevent Siri from talking about the Dalai Lama, referring to Taiwan as a separate country, or recognizing the Uyghurs. And who knows what else.
Given the current lax state of Western LLM companies, it’s tough enough to imagine a chatbot that couldn’t be tricked into saying that China is part of the sovereign state of Taiwan, let alone complying 100% of the time. However, many Chinese tech companies have apparently managed to comply with the restrictions, at least to the satisfaction of regulators. In August 2024 South China Morning Fasting reported that 188 LLMs have been approved for employ so far, up from just 14 in January 2024.
It could be argued that Apple actually adopting a custom version of one of these LLMs to populate the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence amounts to business as usual. Apple already censors the app store to comply with Chinese rules. It already cooperates with local entities.
But given that Apple Intelligence’s generational artificial intelligence is at the heart of iPhones and other devices, the company seems more likely to be accused of being too rooted in the desires and whims of the Chinese state for an American company. for convenience.
In August, Zhuang Rongwen, director of the China Cyberspace Administration, he said Generational AI such as chatbots has “definitely driven economic and social growth.” The New York Times A 2021 report suggests that the government didn’t actually need the data of Chinese iPhone users to conduct surveillance of its citizens because it already had more powerful methods at its disposal. However, with GenAI, Apple may unintentionally become a more vigorous participant in the CCP’s goals.