In the relentless race for artificial intelligence (AI) supremacy, Alibaba, the Hangzhou-based tech giant, has made a significant push forward. The company recently unveiled Tongyi Qianwen 2.0, its latest large language model (LLM), marking a substantial leap in AI capabilities, particularly in complex instruction understanding, copywriting, reasoning, and hallucination prevention.
This unveiling comes against the backdrop of an intensifying competition in the LLM sphere, with a specific focus on the escalating US-China AI race. Alibaba aims to position itself as a formidable contender against American tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft.
In a press statement, Alibaba highlighted the remarkable capabilities of Tongyi Qianwen 2.0, stating, “Tongyi Qianwen 2.0 demonstrates remarkable capabilities in understanding complex instructions, copywriting, reasoning, memorizing, and preventing hallucinations.”
Notably, Alibaba has also introduced industry-specific AI models and the GenAI Service Platform, allowing businesses to create their generative AI applications using proprietary data. This move addresses a prevalent concern about third-party data access in public generative AI products, such as ChatGPT.
However, these advancements in AI are unfolding within the context of a broader regulatory landscape. In the United States, President Joe Biden has signed the first executive order specifically focused on artificial intelligence. This order mandates new safety assessments, provides civil rights guidance, and initiates research into AI’s impact on the labor market.
According to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reed, this executive order represents the “strongest set of actions any government in the world has ever taken on AI safety, security, and trust.”
Furthermore, Biden’s executive order addresses a wide array of issues, from establishing new safety standards for AI and protecting consumer privacy to advancing equity and civil rights, as well as studying the potential implications of AI on the labor market. It also places an obligation on AI companies to share safety test results with the federal government and provide guidelines to prevent AI algorithms from exacerbating discrimination.
Internationally, the G7 nations are collaborating on a voluntary ‘Code of Conduct’ for advanced AI systems, known as the “Hiroshima AI process.” The objective is to promote the safe, secure, and trustworthy use of AI globally. This initiative is seen as a bridge until formal regulations are put in place, as emphasized by European Commission digital chief Vera Jourova.
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As Alibaba strengthens its position in the AI landscape with Tongyi Qianwen 2.0 and the GenAI Service Platform, it becomes increasingly evident that the US-China LLM race is heating up. Simultaneously, global regulations are evolving to ensure the responsible and ethical harnessing of AI’s immense potential. The dynamic interplay between technological innovation and regulatory oversight is set to shape the future of AI for years to come.
