As DeepSeek shakes up global tech sector, Chinese lawmakers and advisers examine AI risks
Growing concerns about the risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) are emerging among China's lawmakers and political advisers, making them a hot topic at this year's 'two sessions' – the annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
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While the success of Chinese AI start-up
DeepSeek has increased the domestic tech sector's global influence, some NPC deputies and CPPCC members at the meetings in Beijing called on Wednesday for stronger regulation to curb AI-related misinformation, fraud and security breaches.
Balancing technological innovation with the need for security is a major challenge for the AI industry, cybersecurity expert Qi Xiangdong, a vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and a member of the CPPCC's National Committee, said on Wednesday.
DeepSeek was hit by a
high-intensity cyberattack in early January , a week after it launched a free, open-source AI assistant that challenged the leading position of American AI models. Qi told state media that the attack exposed significant security vulnerabilities in the industry, adding that nearly 90 per cent of the servers deployed by private enterprises lack adequate security protection, posing serious risks to data safety.
He said there were three main types of AI security risks: intrinsic risks within AI models; AI-driven cyberattacks; and cyberattacks targeting the AI system itself. To address them, Qi proposed measures such as establishing emergency response mechanisms, enhancing monitoring and encouraging broader industry adoption of AI security technologies.
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NPC deputy Li Dongsheng, the chairman of Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer TCL, told state media that misuse of emerging AI technologies has become a serious societal risk, with the potential to trigger widespread fraud and misinformation, and even financial instability.
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