China launches AI model based on Xi Jinping's philosophy to counter ChatGPT

The move to embed Xi Jinping's philosophy in AI comes as China tries to balance strict free speech controls with advancing AI development like OpenAI's ChatGPT

China’s top internet regulator has introduced a large language model (LLM) grounded in President Xi Jinping’s political philosophy, describing it as a “secure and reliable” AI system, according to several media reports. 

Developed by the China Cyberspace Research Institute under the Cyberspace Administration of China, this model incorporates Xi Jinping’s political thought and other government-endorsed cyberspace themes, the South China Morning Post reported.

The effort to embed Xi’s philosophy in AI comes as Chinese officials try to balance strict free speech controls with advancing AI development and competing with platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT. 

What can 'Chat Xi PT' do?

According to a WeChat post from the administration’s magazine, the LLM’s core content includes “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” enshrined in China’s constitution in 2018. This philosophy covers various aspects of political, social, and economic life. The model, designed to meet diverse user needs, can answer questions, produce reports, summarise information, and translate between Chinese and English, the Financial Times said.

 

Distinct from other AI systems, this LLM relies on a curated knowledge base of locally generated data and is not open-sourced, ensuring its “security and reliability.” Demonstrations suggested that responses are derived from a fixed pool of official Chinese documents and sources.

The LLM is hosted exclusively on the servers of the China Cyberspace Research Institute, where all data processing occurs locally for heightened security. It is based on pre-trained, government-approved language models and is currently undergoing internal testing, accessible only to “designated users by invitation.”

This limited release aligns with Beijing’s strategy to harness AI for economic growth while enforcing strict cybersecurity regulations.

Premier Li Qiang’s initiative in March to integrate AI into traditional sectors exemplifies this approach. Despite the inaccessibility of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in China, many Chinese firms have developed their own versions, adhering to government regulatory controls and ensuring alignment with Beijing’s narrative.

The Communist Party’s Central Committee mandated compulsory learning of Xi Jinping's thoughts for all party members in February, aiming to reinforce the Party’s dominance in cyberspace and promote “positive energy” online.

In this context, the new LLM represents Beijing’s latest effort to control AI narratives within China. The Cyberspace Administration of China emphasises the professionalism and authority of the content generated by the model, balancing the development of AI with strict oversight of speech and information.

To help developers deal with the issue, the Cyber Security Association of China, a non-profit aligned with CAC, released the first public database of 100 million entries of “high-quality and trustworthy data” for groups to use in model training in December, FT claimed.

One of the dozens of text documents in the data package contains 86,314 mentions of Xi Jinping. “Let us unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core,” reads one line.

We must “ensure that in thought, politics, and action, we are always in high alignment with the Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core,” says another.

The model’s eventual wider release remains uncertain, but it demonstrates the Chinese government’s commitment to embedding Xi Jinping’s ideology in various formats, said SCMP.