Shenzhen, China’s Silicon Valley, plans to turbocharge local AI development with first-of-a-kind regulations

A draft document outlining the plan – China’s first instance of local regulations drawn up for the AI sector – was submitted to the Shenzhen’s People’s Congress for review on Monday, according to a statement on its website.

“Formulation of the draft regulations will not only promote the AI industry in Shenzhen, but also play a leading role as a pilot project in the exploration of AI legislation on a national level,” the congress said in the statement.

The new regulations would also require local government departments and state-owned companies to take the lead in using AI products and services and to prioritise their use in government procurement, a move intended to boost the implementation of AI technology in a wider range of applications.

To facilitate AI’s appetite for large amounts of data, Shenzhen also vowed to give the industry better access to public data provided it complies with laws and keeps risks at a manageable level.

The document also singled out healthcare AI as one of the main areas the city plans to develop, encouraging medical institutions to come up with simpler review systems to provide faster approvals for the testing of AI products.