Wenn man sich die deutschen Medienberichte über den Global Safety Summit in GB und die gemeinsame Erklärung zwischen den USA, UK, EU und China ansieht, scheint die volle Tragweite dessen, was China damit beabsichtigt und nun auch zu einem guten Teil vorangebracht hat westlicherseits noch nicht voll erfasst zu werden. Es geht den Chinesen nicht um Global AI Safety, sondern um Global AI Governance, sprich um Export ihres totalitären Systems nun eben KI-basiert. In westlichen Medien dreht es sich zumeist nur um die Themen Hacker, Terroristen und Deep Fake Wie dumm und kurzsichtig. Als Schulpflichtlektüre sollte für alle Klassen Kissingers, Ex-Google-Chef Eric Smitt und MIT-Experte Huttenbachers Buch „The Age of AI“ verordnet werden. Das Organ de KP China Global Times sagt dabei sehr offen,  um was es geht.

“China, US, UK sign declaration to lay groundwork for AI global governance

By GT staff reporters Published: Nov 02, 2023 09:11 PM

China’s Vice Minister of Science and Technology Wu Zhaohui speaks during the UK Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in central England on November 1, 2023 with US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo (left) and the UK’s Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan listening. Photo: AFP

China, the US, the UK and the EU have signed a declaration in UK that posits artificial intelligence (AI) poses catastrophic risk to humanity, while also noting the „need for international action“ on such risks. 

Such declaration signals that a future model to address AI-related risks is being formed with China’s participation, Chinese AI experts said on Thursday. 

In the future, China’s experience in AI governance can be an example for the international community, especially the Global South, as China’s experience provides an alternative to the Western approach and shows Beijing’s unique model of seeking balance between AI regulation and innovation preservation, the Chinese AI experts elaborated.

However, since China is too big to ignore when it comes to global AI cooperation, analysts notified the phenomenon that Western countries are trying to entice China on cooperation in some areas while attempting to alienate and crack down on China in others. Such hypocritical approach will only hobble global cooperation in AI, and ultimately shoot those countries in their own feet. 

Twenty-eight governments signed the Bletchley Declaration on the first day of the AI safety summit, hosted by the UK, per Guardian report on Wednesday local time. The countries agreed to work together on AI safety research, even amid signs that the US and UK are competing to take the lead over developing new regulations.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the declaration, calling it „quite incredible.“

In remarks ahead of his own appearance at the summit on Thursday, the prime minister said, „There will be nothing more transformative to the futures of our children and grandchildren than technological advances like AI.“

Wu Zhaohui, China’s vice minister of science and technology, spoke at the opening plenary session of the summit on Wednesday, and the Chinese delegation participated in discussions on AI safety and other issues.

The Chinese delegation urged all sides to enhance the representation of developing countries in the global governance of AI, and constantly bridge the intelligence gap and governance capacity gap.

The Chinese side expressed willingness to work with all parties to strengthen communication and exchanges on AI safety governance, and contribute China’s wisdom to the formation of an international mechanism with universal participation, and a governance framework with broad consensus, according to the speech by Wu published on the official website of the Ministry of Science and Technology on Wednesday.

The Chinese delegation also noted that China is willing to work with all sides to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and promote AI technology to better benefit mankind and build a global community of shared future. 

China’s reference for world

The Bletchley Declaration signals that the future model for addressing AI-related risks has officially been formed, Li Zonghui, vice president of the Institute of Cyber and Artificial Intelligence Rule of Law affiliated with the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Although countries have different ways of governing AI, „when the international community looks back for the origin of AI governance in the future, the declaration is the first thing they will come up with.“ Li said

The participation of China and Wu’s remarks have made many international headlines, as many insiders believe China’s participation is significant. UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said China’s presence is important as a „major AI power.“

Li said that China’s involvement in global AI regulation has twofold meanings – on one hand, China can represent the voice of Global South and on the other hand, it provides an approach different from that of the West. 

„As there’s already a huge gap between the Global South and the Global North in terms of AI technology, we have to make sure the gap won’t be further widened on governance,“ noted Li. „China’s experience in the governance of the technology can provide reference for others, especially the developing countries.“ 

China launched in October a global AI governance initiative, which had systematically outlined China’s proposals on AI governance from three aspects, namely, the development, security and governance of AI, according to Chinese authorities. 

The country also released in October a pilot review measures of science and technology ethics. The pilot measures stipulate that institutions and units engaged in scientific activities in life sciences, medicine, artificial intelligence and other fields, whose research content involves sensitive areas of science and technology ethics, should establish a review committee on scientific and technological ethics.

As for China’s different approach on AI governance, Li explained that the EU adopts a risk-based approach which means imposing regulations beforehand, while China allows commercial application of AI technology first, and places regulations when needed. „China’s approach gives more room for innovations to flourish.“ 

China now has at least 130 large language models launched by companies including Alibaba and Tencent, accounting for 40 percent of the global total and just behind the US‘ 50 percent share, Reuters quoted brokerage CLSA as saying on Monday. 

Toxic competition

Before the AI safety summit, there have been widespread concerns over whether it will be overshadowed by major powers‘ white-hot competition for global AI governance. 

„There are some sessions where we have like-minded countries working together, so it might not be appropriate for China to join,“ Dowden told Bloomberg Television on Wednesday. 

Such remarks go consistent with previous reports that UK government considered banning Chinese delegates from half of the sessions, citing unfounded excuses such as „spying“ by Beijing on Western governments.

Western countries‘ tendency to provoke confrontation is once again demonstrated, Qin An, deputy director of the expert committee of counter-terrorism and cyber security governance at the China Society of Police Law, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

AI governance requires the participation of the entire international community. However, those so-called like-minded countries are still following the US‘ mentality and strategy to form a „small circle“ of core allies against China, Qin said.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301106.shtml

 Der GB-Gipfel Global AI Safety Summit betont Safety, Biden Safety, Security and Trust,  China aber bewußt und vor allem Governance was wohl ein Unterschied ist.

“It is worth mentioning that the three major global powers, China, the US and Europe, have recently made efforts in the global AI governance. On October 18, President Xi Jinping proposed the „Global AI Governance Initiative“ in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, systematically outlining China’s proposals on AI governance from three aspects, namely, the development, security and governance. On October 30, US President Biden signed an executive order on AI, which was called the „most significant action any government anywhere in the world has ever taken on AI safety, security and trust.”

Interessant dabei ist: China hat im Oktober auch eine eigene Global AI Governance Initiative beschlossen – nach Global Development Initiative (GDI) mit Kernstück Neue Seidenstraße BRI, Global Security Initiative (GSI) und Global Civiliation Initiative (GCI), inzwischen auch scherzhaft Global Xiviliaztion Initiative genannt und ein Whitepaper „Global Community of a shared Future“ herausgegeben, das sich wie die chinesische Version der einst programmatischen Schrift des damaligen US- Präsidentenberaters, Mr. und Madame Tschiang Kaitschek-Bewunderers und Verlegers des Life-Magazins Henry Luce von 1941 „The American Century“ liest und China da quasi auch als „guten Samariter der Welt“ auf win-win- Basis, Inklusivität und Diveristät darstellt. GB wird weder von den USA noch China als der AI Leader gesehen welcher Brexit-Global Britain gerne wäre. China kündigt jetzt seinen eigenen Global AI Goverance Summit an, um gleich selbst die Führungsrolle zu übernehmen. Ähnlich wie es als Konkurrenzveranstaltung zur Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz und dem Singapurer Shangri La Dialogue inzwischen sein eigenes Xiangshan Forum gegründet hat.

USA, UK, EU und China haben eine gemeinsame Erklärung unterschrieben, die China jetzt gleich verwendet, um sein AI Governance-Modell (samt sozialen Bonussystem, Smart Cities und Überwachungstechnologie entlang der Seidenstra0e, wie schon mal in Xinjiang an den Uiguren ausprobiert auf KI, sprich XI- Basis dann eben) jetzt als Governancemodell für den Global South exportieren zu wollen. Faktisch läuft das auf einen Export von KI-basierten totalitären Diktaturen hinaus. Zudem auch interessant, dass die chinesische Global AI Governance Initiative nun mit der strategischen Triade Global Development Initiative mit Kernstück BRI, Global Civilization Initiative und Global Security Initiative als ganzheitlich totalitäres und strategisches Viereck unter den Xi Jinping-Gedanken konzipiert wird. XI als KI/AI und Xivilization. Mit Global AI Safety oder Security gibt die KP China sich eben nicht ab, das ist für sie nur ein Teilaspekt. Es geht um Global Governance und Good Governance in Xis Sinne, auch eben des Global South gegen den Westen bis dieser sich dann auch unterordnen soll oder muss. Ein totalitäres Dreckspack auch, aber scheinbar noch nicht so registriert im Westen.

Dass der Xis Neototalitarismus nicht mehr der plumpe, asketische Verzichtsmilitä rbarackenkommunismus im Mao und nordkoreanischen Kimstil ist, sondern ein Hybrid zwischen konsumistischer Brave New World Huxleys und brachialer Unterdrückung und Überwachung ala George Orwells 1984 ist, daher auch unterschützt wird, darauf hat schon Kai Strittmatter in seinem Buch „Die Neuerfindung der Diktatur“ hingewiesen.

Neototalitarismus in China eher als Konsumkommunismus mit braven Konsumtrotteln als Untertanen (wobei das teilweise auch im Westen so gehandhabt wird). Als gutes Beispiel, wie die KP China dabei die Psychologie  ihrer Untertanen“ analysiert, taxiert und damit umgeht, ist folgender Artikel in der Global Times  über die  Pros und Contras von Fankulturen und auch Subkulturen und den „psychologischen Bedürfnissen“ .Bezeichnend, dass da bei den Pros an erster Stelle mal wieder die Steigerung des Konsums und Wirtschaftswachstums genannt wird. Das wird ja in der Global Times auch immer während Feiertagen und Festen in der Global Times mit Planübererfüllungsstatistiken mit ökonomischen Indikatoren illustriert. Double Happiness sozusagen. Wäre mal weiter zu untersuchen ob es in China Literatur und eine Debatte zu Bhutans Bruttosozialglück gibt oder dieses schon Teil des Sozialkreditsystems ist, demnächst vielleicht eben mit KI/XI. Wobei zu Ende eine Multiparteienkooperation aus Regierung, Plattformen und Fans vorgeschlagen wird, um die Wirtschaft boosten und die negativen Effekte der Fankultur zu minimieren. Also Staat und Regierung, letztendlich die KP China und XI dann zukünftig als bestimmende Größe.

„ARTS / CULTURE & LEISURE

Bane and boon of fandom culture

By Zhang Nan Published: Nov 02, 2023 11:05 PM
With the rise of social media networks and involvement of capital, fandom culture as a niche subculture has attracted more and more attention from the mainstream. 

Illustration: Liu Xiangya/Global Times

From an external perspective, the rapid advancement of technology and social media platforms have served as prerequisites, while investment from the capital market has fueled its development. As to the internal factors, the formation of fan communities meets people’s psychological needs. For one thing, in today’s fast-paced modern society, some young people have made online platforms their first choice to ease loneliness and express their feelings, while fan clubs allow people to show off their personality, achieve self-satisfaction and gain a sense of community and belonging. 

Debate about fandom culture tends to focus on its potential dangers. 

To begin with, the distortion of values caused by group polarization, especially for younger generations, leads to shocking incidents like pouring out drink bottles just to obtain a QR code inside the bottle cap to support an idol. Besides wasting resources and over-consumption, craze-driven irrational behavior such as stalking, doxing, fighting, and invading people’s privacy have endangered public safety. 

More seriously, the uneven occupation of online resources by celebrity topics or entertainment events triggered by a large amount of fan participation and capital manipulation takes atte  ntion away from significant issues that involve public life. Under such circumstances, our culture, sports, education, and businesses would likely be reduced to entertainment accessories, and the final result might lead to actually „amusing“ ourselves to death. 

However, as some observers fret about these dystopian scenarios, others focus on the potential rewards.

First, personalized consumption in fandom culture boosts the economy. In August, a popular Chinese idol group fueled a ticket-buying binge in which the first batch of over 33,000 tickets were snapped up in a few seconds. Revenue on ticket and live-streaming platforms reached more than 100 million yuan ($13.6 million) and drove local tourism revenue up to 416 million yuan. With social media, forces converge quickly, and fans can do great things for their idols. Their desire for expression, interactivity, and participation leads to a long tail effect in the vast fan market, which contains enormous consumption potential and benefits upstream and downstream industry development. 

Secondly, fandom culture alleviates the crisis of contemporary social identity and soothes our souls. As a social subculture system, fandom culture is based on seeking social interaction and identity recognition. Fans build emotional trust, form a community with common ideals, and find a new identity and a sense of belonging through communication and interaction with group members in an increasingly atomized society. For fans who have gone through their youth accompanied by some idols, nostalgia reveals their inner desire for a familiar, safe, and stable environment that serves as a spiritual sanctuary and utopia for rosy memories, helping them confront the fragmentation of the modern world and the discomfort of the rapid changes under globalization.

Fandom culture also empowers society. An idol who constantly contributes positive energy is an essential source of cohesion in society. Fans‘ heartfelt wishes to become better people alongside their idols have led them to ask idols to behave with higher standards and set good examples. 

For instance, some celebrities encourage fans to develop good reading habits, promote Chinese traditional culture, which is increasingly favored by young people, and participate in activities such as environmental protection and poverty alleviation. Several public benefit activities have benefited from the tremendous force and passion of fan communities, which are mainly composed of the Post-1990 and Post-2000 generations, who possess a higher level of education and more self-discipline. 

A fan may be a company staff, a professional photographer, or an illustrator and designer. They all have proficiency in a particular line. Thus, their efforts not only bring more energy and sunshine to society but also enrich the cultural ecology.  

So, fan culture is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, based on similar interests or shared memory, it allows fans to build social networks to find a new identity, accumulate real or virtual resources both online and offline, and form informal organizations. On the other hand, it also causes the group to get stuck in information cocoons and possibly tend to behave irrationally due to the existence of the „echo chamber effect.“ Fans are easily reduced to digital laborers and „one-dimensional people.“ 

Fan culture, driven by technology and capital, alters what we think and how we behave without us realizing it, making a difference in the overall cyberculture and even society as a whole. Whether it is a bane or boon depends on how we lead and guide. 

Accordingly, we should, above all, realize the pros and cons brought about by the development of fan culture and strengthen top-level design to shape a comprehensive paradigm featuring multi-party collaboration, namely government, platform, and fan groups, which will promote economic development, generate positive energy and minimize adverse effects. 

The author is a faculty member with the School of Applied Economics, Renmin University of China. life@globaltimes.com.cn 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301124.shtml

Und immer wieder ein Riesenhype und staatliche Propaganda für Konsumrauschfeste i  Konsumkommunismus .von Chinese New Year bis Goldener Woche. .Scheinbar ist Double 11 so das Äquivalent zum Black Friday oder Weihnachten, w westliche Medien ja auch immer ganz euphorisch die jeweiligen Einzelhandelsumsätze berichten. Brave New World, in China aber dann auch noch mit George Orwell als dem wesentlichen Unterschied. Und die alte Formel des chinesischen konsumkommunistischen Versprechens und somit einseitigen contract sociale. De KP China sorgt für Wirtschaftswachstum und die Untertanen verzichten dafür auf ihre politischen Rechte.

“Double 11 sales kick off with stimulus moves to stabilize economy, expand demand

By GT staff reporters Published: Nov 01, 2023 09:46 PM

A staff of a delivery center check parcels as the Double 11 shopping festival comes. Photo: VCG

China’s Double 11 sales festival, the world’s largest shopping carnival, has gotten off to a good start, signifying upbeat consumption sentiment thanks to the nation’s stimulus measures to stabilize the economy and expand demand, industry observers said.

Maintaining last year’s features – including a lack of fancy galas and eye-catching promotions – this year’s Double 11 shopping bonanza arrived in a low-profile way late on Tuesday.

The merchandise value of 155 brands on e-commerce giant Tmall surpassed 100 million yuan ($13.7 million) within minutes after the festival started at 8 pm Tuesday. Within one hour, more than 70,000 brands had achieved the sales value they scored last year.

There were 29 livestreaming rooms that broke the 100 million yuan mark right after the festival started.

On JD.com, another e-commerce giant in China, merchants also reaped considerable turnover as consumers responded to tens of billions of yuan in subsidies and the launch of big brand low-priced goods.

In less than four minutes after the activity started at 8 pm on Tuesday, the transaction value on the subsidy channel exceeded 100 million yuan.

Since Double 11 sales began on JD.com about a week ago, nearly 30 brands have sold more than 1 billion yuan, and the transactions of nearly 15,000 brands have increased by more than five times year-on-year. 

The number of individuals and self-employed stores that participated in this year’s shopping festival on JD.com that achieved growth on a yearly basis jumped by 11 times compared with the same period last year. 

Automobile orders on JD.com went up more than 200 percent year-on-year, among which new-energy vehicle orders tripled.

„This year’s Double 11 festival is marked by competition not only among e-commerce giants but also between the online forces and marketplaces that are actively vying for consumer traffic,“ Zhang Yi, CEO of the iiMedia Research Institute, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Various platforms are emphasizing that they have the lowest-priced goods.

Multiple signs show that this year’s Double 11 festival may become the fiercest in terms of price competition, according to Zhang.

Since it was launched in China in 2009 by Alibaba, the shopping event has been widely embraced by Chinese consumers, although its profile has been somewhat reduced in recent years.

„I still would like to take a look to see if the goods I want are sold at competitive prices, but it’s no longer as important to me as it was a few years ago,“ Wang, a Beijing-based white-collar worker, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

In an unexpected development, neither Tmall nor JD.com announced their gross merchandise volume for last year’s Double 11 event, and it’s believed that they won’t do so this year either.

„But we can still feel the upbeat consumption sentiment based on the sales data released so far,“ Zhang said, which could mirror the nation’s economic resilience.

Consumption has been playing a major role to prop up the economic recovery this year.

Consumption contributed to 83.2 percent of economic expansion in the first three quarters of the year, accounting for 4.4 percentage points of the GDP growth rate, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.

„Both the central government and multiple localities have gone all-out to boost consumer confidence and expectations this year,“ Zhang noted.

At the end of July, Chinese authorities issued 20 measures to boost domestic consumption, including support for expanding real estate and auto sales, underscoring the country’s ramped-up efforts to ensure a steady economic recovery amid internal and external downward pressures.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301003.shtml