China begins nationwide crackdown on AI misuse in months-long campaign

After growing threats of cybersecurity and cyberattack, the government of China has started a long-term enforcement effort, lasting several months, to control or reduce the misuse of artificial intelligence AI.

China has launched a months-long campaign aimed at curbing the misuse of artificial intelligence across the country.

According to a statement it released on Thursday, "China's cyberspace administrator is launching a four-month campaign against 'malpractices ‌in AI applications."

The two-phased campaign will target weak security review of AI models, "AI data poisoning," and failure to register AI models or inadequate labeling of AI-generated content, the statement showed.

It ‌will also target misuse of AI-generated content, including false information, "violent and vulgar" content, impersonation, and content that harms minors, focusing on preventing activities such as AI-generated deepfakes, online scams, misinformation, and other forms of content abuse that can spread quickly using generative tools. Regulators are also expected to increase monitoring of platforms and companies that develop or deploy AI systems.

Authorities will remove illegal and harmful content and punish non-compliant online accounts and platforms, it said.

Recently China has announced stopping the use of Anthropic's AI application Manus amid rising concerns over cybersecurity.

It also comes as banks across Asia, specifically among the largest Chinese banks, are tightening checks on artificial intelligence tools as the very newest models have raised fears that hackers could find weak spots faster and launch ‌wider cyberattacks.

The initiative is part of a broader effort by authorities to tighten oversight of rapidly advancing AI technologies and reduce harmful or illegal applications.