Baidu becomes first Chinese firm to join US-based group that addresses the ethics of AI

The Partnership on AI is led by researchers representing Amazon.com, Google, DeepMind Technologies, Facebook, Microsoft, IBM and Apple

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Baidu is the newest members of the Partnership on AI, a San Francisco-based non-profit organisation that aims to formulate and share best practices on the research, development and implementation of artificial intelligence technologies. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:03am, 18 Oct 2018Updated: 12:01pm, 18 Oct 2018

Baidu, operator of China’s largest internet search service and a national champion in artificial intelligence, has become the first Chinese company to join a US-based consortium that studies and formulates best practices on AI technologies.

The Partnership on AI (PAI), which now counts more than 70 members, was established in 2016 in the wake of growing concerns over the impact of AI on industries as well as people and the larger society.

“Admitting our first Chinese member is an important step towards building a truly global partnership,” said Terah Lyons, the founding executive director of the PAI, in a statement released on Tuesday in the US.

Headquartered in San Francisco, the PAI was formed by Amazon.com, Facebook, IBM, Microsoft, and Alphabet’s Google and DeepMind Technologies to advance public understanding of AI technologies.

The non-profit organisation is currently led by a group of AI researchers representing those six founding companies and Apple.

It credited Baidu with “vigorously promoting the development of AI technology”, while pushing forward a series of initiatives “aimed at limiting AI’s unintended consequences”.