World power 'threatened' by Chinese AI

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Photo credits: Getty Images

In July, China announced its national plan for AI, calling for the country to catch up with the US.

But one expert said the accusations could be "sabre-rattling".

"China is no longer in a position of technological inferiority relative to the United States but rather has become a true peer that may have the capability to overtake the United States in AI," said the report, from the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a research arm of the US intelligence community.

"China's People's Liberation Army is also investing in a range of AI-related projects and PLA research institutes are partnering with the Chinese defence industry," the report said, citing publicly available documents.

Report author Elsa Kania said some PLA thinkers anticipate the approach of a "singularity" on the battlefield, where humans can no longer keep pace with the speed of machine-led decisions during combat.

Pentagon policy currently calls for a human role in offensive actions carried out by machines, while the UN is considering whether to call for a ban on autonomous weapons on the battlefield.

An unreleased Pentagon document, seen by Reuters, warned earlier this year that Chinese firms were skirting US oversight and gaining access to sensitive US AI technology with potential military applications by buying stakes in US firms.

A recently released OECD report, The Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2017, also pointed to a growth in China's tech power.

According to the report, the number of artificial intelligence technologies patented in the five top IP offices rose by 6% a year on average over 2010-15, led by Japan. Japan, Korea and the US together accounted for more than 62% of AI-related patent applications but it saw a significant rise in filings from China and Taiwan.

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