DeepSeek, Alibaba researchers endorse China’s AI regulatory framework

Researchers from artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek and tech giant Alibaba Group Holding have endorsed China’s emerging AI regulatory framework while calling for clearer feedback in a paper published in the US journal Science.

The paper, published last month under the title “China’s emerging regulation towards an open future for AI”, said the country had so far facilitated an “innovation- and openness-friendly institutional environment for AI developers” but that it could be further improved with a national AI law.

The paper served as an introduction for foreign readers to China’s “pragmatic” AI governance system, the subject of much misunderstanding abroad, said Zhang Linghan, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, and one of the paper’s 10 co-authors.

“China has actually transformed from a follower to a leader in AI governance, which is significant,” said Zhang, who was among those who drafted a proposed national AI law introduced last year.

Joining the other legal experts in co-authoring the paper were two industry representatives: Fu Hongyu, director of AI governance at Alibaba’s research institute, AliResearch, and Wu Shaoqing, head of AI governance at DeepSeek. Alibaba owns the Post.

It was the second time in recent months that Wu had contributed to discussions on AI governance, after appearing on a panel about guard rails for ethical AI at the Global Open-Source Innovation Meetup in Hangzhou in September.