For the past two years, the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) has hosted annual conferences on China’s digital governance practices, covering developments in data, artificial intelligence (AI), and their implications for cybersecurity, digital trade, US-led technology export controls, and China’s pursuit of technological self-reliance and innovation.
OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT in November 2022 marked a landmark achievement in AI development. While China was an early mover in establishing regulations on AI, including generative AI, it has since fallen behind and is striving to close the gap with the United States in the global AI arms race — currently centred on the rapid evolution of ChatGPT-like large language models and other foundational models.
Parallel to the rapid evolution of AI, the development of distributed ledger technologies such as blockchain is driving dramatic growth in the global digital assets market. The concept of digital assets we will discuss ranges from central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), cryptocurrencies and stablecoins to broader tokenization. In March 2022, the Biden administration issued an Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets, aiming to mitigate risks and possible financial instability caused by the development of digital assets in the United States and beyond. While mainland China remains one of the few economies piloting a retail CBDC and continues to ban cryptocurrency within its borders, Hong Kong has adopted an open and inclusive approach to virtual assets development.
Under these circumstances, this year’s conference will focus on discussing the development and governance of AI and digital assets — including the growing development of CBDCs in China and virtual assets in Hong Kong — and their implications for the world.
This event will bring together scholars and experts from universities, research institutes, the technology sector, business and government in Canada and around the world to discuss the development and governance of AI, digital assets and CBDCs in China, and their potential economic, political, security and social implications for Canada and the global community.
Format
The workshop will consist of two sessions:
- a panel discussion on the development and governance of AI in China; and
- a panel discussion on a regulatory framework for digital assets in China and Hong Kong.
Each session will have four speakers followed by an open discussion among participants.
This event is by invitation only.