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Alibaba, the renowned Chinese tech giant, has recently unveiled its much-anticipated artificial intelligence system, Tongyi Qianwen, making it accessible to the general public and businesses across China starting on September 13.
Tongyi Qianwen AI is a powerful language model akin to ChatGPT, designed to work seamlessly in both English and Chinese.
Although specific details regarding its architecture remain undisclosed, early speculations suggest that it might boast an astounding 10 trillion parameters, a staggering tenfold increase compared to OpenAI’s GPT-4. However, it’s crucial to note that these claims have yet to be substantiated.
Beta to Public: Tongyi Qianwen’s Evolution
Notably, Tongyi Qianwen was initially available to a select group of users during its beta testing phase. Its transition to the public domain coincides with China’s relaxation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology regulations.
In June, the Chinese government published guidelines stipulating that all AI technology intended for public use must undergo a rigorous testing and certification process.
These regulations officially took effect on August 15, prompting several Chinese tech giants, including Baidu, Tencent, TikTok, and ByteDance, to seek approval for their AI models’ release.
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Regulating AI: A Global Endeavor
The new regulations also carry specific prohibitions, such as banning the creation of AI-generated images of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Companies have also been mandated to promptly address objectionable content within a three-month window. While earlier drafts of these regulations included monetary fines, they were ultimately omitted.
In contrast to China’s proactive stance on AI regulation, the United States has taken more preliminary steps in this direction. Moreover, AI regulation is gaining global attention, with the G20 countries actively considering measures to govern this transformative technology.
G20 member nations are advocating for enhanced data protection and responsible AI development as crucial components of their regulatory efforts.
Alibaba’s Tongyi Qianwen’s widespread availability marks a significant milestone in the realm of AI technology, and its potential 10 trillion parameters could catapult it to the forefront of language models.
As China and other nations continue to grapple with AI regulation, the future of artificial intelligence is undoubtedly an area ripe for innovation and transformation on a global scale.
