China is at the forefront of adopting generative AI technology, according to a recent survey by US AI and analytics software company SAS and Coleman Parkes Research. This development highlights China’s advancements in a field that gained significant attention after the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022. As reported by Reuters, the survey, which included 1,600 decision-makers from various industries worldwide, found that 83 percent of Chinese respondents reported using generative AI.

This percentage surpasses the global average of 54 per cent and is significantly higher than in other surveyed regions, including the United States, where 65 per cent of respondents have adopted the technology.

Which Industries Were Part Of Survey?

Industries such as banking, insurance, healthcare, telecommunications, manufacturing, retail, and energy were represented in the survey. The findings underscore China’s rapid progress in generative AI, which has been propelled by the release of ChatGPT and the subsequent efforts by numerous Chinese companies to develop their own AI solutions.

A recent report from the United Nations’ World Intellectual Property Organization further illustrates China’s leadership in the field, showing that the country filed over 38,000 generative AI patents between 2014 and 2023. In comparison, the United States filed 6,276 patents during the same period.

China’s Domestic Cultivation

Despite restrictions on many international generative AI service providers, including OpenAI, China has cultivated a robust domestic industry. Tech giants like ByteDance and emerging startups such as Zhipu are contributing to the growing landscape. The enterprise adoption of generative AI in China is anticipated to increase as competition drives down the cost of large language model services.

The SAS report also highlighted China’s leadership in continuous automated monitoring (CAM), a widely used but controversial application of generative AI. CAM technology collects and analyzes extensive data on user activities, behaviours, and communications, often without users’ awareness or understanding of the data’s use, leading to privacy concerns.

Udo Sglavo, vice president of applied AI and modelling at SAS, pointed out the challenges in holding entities accountable for CAM misuse due to the proprietary and opaque nature of the algorithms and processes involved. “China’s advancements in CAM are part of its broader strategy to become a global leader in artificial intelligence and surveillance technologies,” Sglavo said.

As China continues to make significant strides in generative AI, the global landscape of AI technology is poised for rapid evolution and increased competition.