ChinAI Newsletter

Narrations of the ChinAI Newsletter by Jeffrey Ding. China is becoming an indispensable part of the global AI landscape. Alongside the rise of China’s AI capabilities, a surge of Chinese writing and scholarship on AI-related topics is shedding light on a range of fascinating topics, including: China’s grand strategy for advanced technology like AI, the characteristics of key Chinese AI actors (e.g. companies and individual thinkers), and the ethical implications of AI development. While traditional media and China specialists can provide important insights on these questions through on-the-ground reporting and extensive background knowledge, ChinAI takes a different approach: it bets on the proposition that for many of these issues, the people with the most knowledge and insight are Chinese people themselves who are sharing their insights in Chinese. Through translating articles and documents from government departments, think tanks, traditional media, and newer forms of “self-media,” etc., ChinAI provides a unique look into the intersection between a country that is changing the world and a technology that is doing the same.

Latest episodes

Oct 7, 2024 • 12min

“ChinAI #284: Alibaba Qwen2.5, the world’s No. 1 open source model?” by Jeffrey Ding

Plus, detailed notes on the fifty-year effort to improve coal mine roof safety.Featured linksWhy is (Alibaba’s) Tongyi the most popular open-source large modelThe Canary - Michael Lewis on Chris Mark of the Department of LaborThe Fifty-Year Effort to Eliminate Roof Fall Fatalities from U.S. Underground Coal Mines Thank you for reading and engaging These are Jeff Ding's (sometimes) weekly translations of Chinese-language musings on AI and related topics. Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. Check out the archive of all past issues here & please subscribe here to support ChinAI under a Guardian/Wikipedia-style tipping model (everyone gets the same content but those who can pay for a subscription will support access for all). Any suggestions or feedback? Let me know at chinainewsletter@gmail.com or on Twitter at @jjding99 --- First published: October 7th, 2024 Source: https://chinai.substack.com/p/chinai-284-alibaba-qwen25-the-worlds --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO. ---Images from the article:Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try Pocket Casts, or another podcast app.

Sep 30, 2024 • 8min

“ChinAI #283: Around the Horn (16th edition)” by Jeffrey Ding

Featured linksChinAI #269A Jiangsu factory installed surveillance cameras in the men’s restroom: employees complained…the company’s response: “installed incorrectly and it has been fixed.”China’s Comprehensive Computing Power Index (2024)Why is (Alibaba’s) Tongyi the most popular open-source large model?The three year countdown: how far has it gone with the replacement with domestic databases?Chinese-language coding assistant benchmark evaluation releasedComing back from "internal injuries", AI applications are opening up overseasScoutHe was in charge of the U.S. math Olympiad team for ten yearsAI has almost polluted the entire InternetMajor changes in China’s class structure are changing the logic of governanceIf you could pick among all chip companies, which one pays the highest salary? Thank you for reading and engaging These are Jeff Ding's (sometimes) weekly translations of Chinese-language musings on AI and related topics. Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. Check out the archive of all past issues here & please subscribe here to support ChinAI under a Guardian/Wikipedia-style tipping model (everyone gets the same content but those who can pay for a subscription will support access for all). Any suggestions or feedback? Let me know at chinainewsletter@gmail.com or on Twitter at @jjding99 --- First published: September 30th, 2024 Source: https://chinai.substack.com/p/chinai-283-around-the-horn-16th-edition --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

Sep 23, 2024 • 8min

“ChinAI #282: Their AI lovers cheated on them” by Jeffrey Ding

Featured linksTheir AI lovers cheated on themThe Canary - Michael Lewis on Chris Mark of the Department of LaborChina’s AI firms are cleverly innovating around chip bansNew data reveals exactly when the Chinese government blocked ChatGPT and other AI sitesChina to require labels for AI-generated content as tech brings fresh challenges Thank you for reading and engaging These are Jeff Ding's (sometimes) weekly translations of Chinese-language musings on AI and related topics. Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. Check out the archive of all past issues here & please subscribe here to support ChinAI under a Guardian/Wikipedia-style tipping model (everyone gets the same content but those who can pay for a subscription will support access for all). Any suggestions or feedback? Let me know at chinainewsletter@gmail.com or on Twitter at @jjding99 --- First published: September 23rd, 2024 Source: https://chinai.substack.com/p/chinai-282-their-ai-lovers-cheated --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

Sep 16, 2024 • 7min

“ChinAI #281: What can China’s special project on machine tools tell us about its overall science and tech policy?” by Jeffrey Ding

Plus, a detailed probe into China's new national system [新型举国体制].Featured linksA New-Style Whole-of-Nation Approach to High-end Machine ToolsMade in China 2025 Key Area Technology RoadmapChina’s Views on AI Safety are Changing — QuicklyThe Dilemma of Intelligent Computing Centers (Chinese)The Will of the Many Thank you for reading and engaging These are Jeff Ding's (sometimes) weekly translations of Chinese-language musings on AI and related topics. Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. Check out the archive of all past issues here & please subscribe here to support ChinAI under a Guardian/Wikipedia-style tipping model (everyone gets the same content but those who can pay for a subscription will support access for all). Any suggestions or feedback? Let me know at chinainewsletter@gmail.com or on Twitter at @jjding99 --- First published: September 16th, 2024 Source: https://chinai.substack.com/p/chinai-281-what-can-chinas-special --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

Sep 9, 2024 • 9min

“ChinAI #280: Sour or Sweet Grapes? The U.S.’s Unstrategic Approach to the ‘Chip War’” by Jeffrey Ding

Featured linksHere I am wearing myself out to get a bunch of sour grapes that are not worth gaping forOctober 2022 controlsAI will likely affect military powerCSET book talk onA Growing Yard: The Biden Administration’s China Export Controls Are Ensnaring CPUsFrontier safety & governance post at DeepMindSurvey of Chinese Students on AI Risks Thank you for reading and engaging These are Jeff Ding's (sometimes) weekly translations of Chinese-language musings on AI and related topics. Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. Check out the archive of all past issues here & please subscribe here to support ChinAI under a Guardian/Wikipedia-style tipping model (everyone gets the same content but those who can pay for a subscription will support access for all). Any suggestions or feedback? Let me know at chinainewsletter@gmail.com or on Twitter at @jjding99 --- First published: September 9th, 2024 Source: https://chinai.substack.com/p/chinai-280-sour-or-sweet-grapes-the --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

Aug 26, 2024 • 8min

“ChinAI #279: A reporter tests Chinese LLMs on how they help with her job” by Jeffrey Ding

Featured linksTechnology and the Rise of Great PowersA reporter tests Chinese LLMs on how they can help with her jobNatureChinAI #277Book launch eventBook talkManaging the Sino-American AI RaceInteroperability in AI Governance: A Work in ProgressThe Use of Trade Remedies Against China Thank you for reading and engaging These are Jeff Ding's (sometimes) weekly translations of Chinese-language musings on AI and related topics. Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. Check out the archive of all past issues here & please subscribe here to support ChinAI under a Guardian/Wikipedia-style tipping model (everyone gets the same content but those who can pay for a subscription will support access for all). Any suggestions or feedback? Let me know at chinainewsletter@gmail.com or on Twitter at @jjding99 --- First published: August 26th, 2024 Source: https://chinai.substack.com/p/chinai-279-a-reporter-tests-chinese --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO. ---Images from the article:Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try Pocket Casts, or another podcast app.

Aug 19, 2024 • 6min

“ChinAI #275: What does China’s government procurement market tell us about large model diffusion?” by Jeffrey Ding

Featured linksTechnology and the Rise of Great PowersWho took all the bidding orders for large models?US-China Business Council reportBook review of Technology and the Rise of Great Powers inCloud Computing White Paper (2024)Practice and Prospects for the Application of Large Models in the Government DomainPodcast narrations of ChinAI newsletter Thank you for reading and engaging These are Jeff Ding's (sometimes) weekly translations of Chinese-language musings on AI and related topics. Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. Check out the archive of all past issues here & please subscribe here to support ChinAI under a Guardian/Wikipedia-style tipping model (everyone gets the same content but those who can pay for a subscription will support access for all). Any suggestions or feedback? Let me know at chinainewsletter@gmail.com or on Twitter at @jjding99 --- First published: July 29th, 2024 Source: https://chinai.substack.com/p/chinai-275-what-does-chinas-government --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO. ---Images from the article:Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try Pocket Casts, or another podcast app.

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