"AI, China, Russia and the Global Order: What is Happening in China and Russia, and What Impacts Does This Have Abroad?" Panel Discussion

“AI, China, Russia and the Global Order: What is Happening in China and Russia, and What Impacts Does This Have Abroad?” Panel Discussion

Speakers: Ahmed, S. (University of California, Berkeley); Bendett, S. (CNA); Creemers, R. (Leiden University); Esplin Odell, R. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); Morgus, R. (New America); Weber, V. (Oxford University)

Date: 12 February 2019

Speaker Session Preview

SMA hosted a panel discussion as a part of its SMA Future of Great Power Competition & Conflict Speaker Series. Presenters included Ms. Shazeda Ahmed (University of California, Berkeley), Mr. Samuel Bendett (CNA), Dr. Rogier Creemers (Leiden University), Ms. Rachel Esplin Odell (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Mr. Robert Morgus (New America), and Mr. Valentin Weber (Oxford University). The moderator of this panel discussion was Dr. Nicholas Wright (Intelligent Biology).

To begin the presentation, Mr. Bendett discussed the development of artificial intelligence in the public, private, and government sectors in Russia. Next, Ms. Ahmed spoke about credit cities and the limitations of China’s new social credit system. Mr. Weber then discussed the success of China’s information control model, the global ramifications of it, and what the US can do to prevent other nations from adopting it. Mr. Morgus proceeded to examine the spread and influence of Russia’s digital authoritarianism model, while also offering recommendations for US decisionmakers to respond to this issue. Dr. Creemers then discussed the characteristics and the international foreign policy impacts of China’s artificial intelligence and big data strategies. To conclude, Ms. Esplin Odell spoke about the insecurity, domestic authoritarianism, and foreign policy of the Chinese regime, highlighting that artificial intelligence is only one part of China’s strategy, and it is not the nation’s primary focus; its main concerns are its stability and economic development.