China’s AI plan offers citizens ‘infinite hope’ with robot companions and kids by 2035
But a Chinese expert warns it could lead to mass unemployment, polarisation, reduction in marriage rates and ‘erosion of family ethics’
When the Chinese government launched the “AI+” initiative in August, it was widely perceived as a new economic stimulus. However, observers may have underestimated Beijing’s true ambition.
On October 10, senior officials and experts published a series of analyses in the official journal E-Government, offering the public its first comprehensive look at the initiative’s deeper strategic intent.
The “AI+” action plan aims for a multidimensional transformation, simultaneously reshaping politics, the economy, society, science and technology, and China’s stance in global affairs.
The government and its advisers are acutely aware of the significant risks involved and are proactively planning to mitigate potential negative impacts, including mass unemployment, the erosion of family structures, intensified human-machine conflicts, ethical upheaval and more social inequality.
Officials and experts forecast that by 2035, China could emerge as an unprecedented “land of infinite hope”.