Chinese search engine Baidu Inc has become the first Chinese company to join an artificial intelligence (AI) ethics group led by top U.S. tech firms, amid wider political clashes over AI competition between China and the United States, Reuters reports.
The Partnership on Al, which counts Alphabet Inc’s Google, Apple Inc and Facebook Inc as members, is a body that develops ethical guidelines for AI research, including ensuring research does not violate international conventions or human rights.
Last year China’s industry ministry named Baidu as one of four national AI champions, and the search firm has invested heavily in autonomous driving and deep learning in recent years.
“Baidu’s admission represents the beginning of PAI’s entrance into China. We will continue to add new members in China and around the world as we grow,” said PAI in a statement.
The inclusion of Baidu in the group comes as Chinese and U.S. companies are looking to ramp up cooperation on AI, despite a looming political scuffle between the U.S. and China over technology transfers.