Beijing to set out artificial intelligence development plan up to 2030

China’s top technology official said Beijing has laid out a national roadmap to guide the development of artificial intelligence (AI) until the year 2030 as the country’s tech companies pour resources into competing with Western rivals in a race to dominate the field.

Wan Gang, the minister of science and technology, said on Thursday that the AI development plan has already been drafted and will soon be released to the public.

It is expected to address issues in four key areas: the building up of AI capability, the application of AI technologies, the introduction of policies to handle the risks brought about by AI – such as job losses – and international collaboration, according to Wan.

His comments were reported by mainland media when he delivered the opening speech of the World Intelligence Congress, China’s first ever official conference on AI, organised by some of the country’s most powerful government organisations, including the top cyber authority.

Wan didn’t reveal how much money Beijing will put towards developing AI technologies but he said during the annual meeting of China’s parliament in March that the central government would set up a special fund for research into the core technologies behind AI.

The soon-to-be-released blueprint is also expected to reveal China’s plans to “rapidly gather AI talent” and “encourage foreign companies to set up research and development centres for AI technologies in China”, he said.