China’s AI strategy and its impact on the global information space
July 2 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Can European software built on cheap Chinese AI models be trusted?
As open-source model families like Alibaba’s Qwen surge in global popularity, an increasing number of international developers are quietly integrating them into their tech stacks. However, this cost-effective accessibility may come with a significant hidden vulnerability: the systematic embedding of Chinese propaganda into core AI architectures.
Drawing directly from a breakthrough report for the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency, co-author Alex Colville examines the geopolitical strategy behind China’s ambitions, Xi Jinping’s doctrine of controlling foundational AI development as a means of shaping global technological standards and international information ecosystems, as well as its use for Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) purposes.
The session breaks down specific PRC tactics on how state-approved narratives are encoded into large language models (LLMs), dispelling common misconceptions about censorship and propaganda. It will also examine the practical steps that European policymakers, developers, and other stakeholders can take to mitigate FIMI-related risks associated with Chinese AI models and safeguard information integrity.