Two regulatory agencies, one in the U.S. and the other in China, today asked members of the public to submit feedback about future artificial intelligence rules.

The parallel developments come as tech firms in both countries rush to incorporate advanced AI models into their products. At the same time, those models are drawing scrutiny in some quarters. Last month, a group of tech executives and researchers released a public letter urging AI labs to pause development on the most advanced neural networks for at least six months.

The U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, today issued a request for comment to support its AI-related work. The NTIA is an agency within the Commerce Department that’s responsible for advising the president on technology regulation. That includes potential AI rules that may be introduced in the future. 

The NTIA is seeking to determine what policies are needed to ensure AI products work as claimed and without causing harm. The request for comment it released today will give members of the public an opportunity to submit feedback about the subject. In an announcement today, the agency highlighted four specific AI regulatory topics on which it’s seeking public input.

The first is the question of what trust and safety testing should be carried out by AI developers before they release a new neural network. The NTIA is also focusing on those developers’ enterprise customers. Through its request for comment, the agency hopes to explore what trust and safety procedures should be implemented by enterprises adopting cutting-edge AI models.

Another focus area for the agency is auditing. The NTIA will work to determine what “kinds of data access is necessary to conduct audits and assessments” of AI systems. Additionally, the agency will explore what steps regulators and other players can take to encourage AI accountability.

A fourth focus of the NTIA’s request for comment is the matter of industry-specific policies. In the future, the procedures necessary to ensure AI systems work reliably may vary across markets. The NTIA is asking members of the public for input on “what different approaches might be needed in different industry sectors.”

“Responsible AI systems could bring enormous benefits, but only if we address their potential consequences and harms,” said NTIA administrator Alan Davidson. “For these systems to reach their full potential, companies and consumers need to be able to trust them. Our inquiry will inform policies to support AI audits, risk and safety assessments, certifications and other tools that can create earned trust in AI systems.”

Also today, the Cyberspace Administration of China released a set of draft rules for regulating AI systems. It will collect public comment on the rules through May 10. According to Bloomberg, the proposed regulation would require new generative AI products to go through a “security review” before release.

The draft rules also specify other requirements. The AI companies to which they apply will have to verify users’ identities, track usage and regulate the content generated by their models. A company that fails to comply with the rules could reportedly face fines, service suspensions and criminal investigations.

“Content generated by generative artificial intelligence should embody core socialist values and must not contain any content that subverts state power, advocates the overthrow of the socialist system, incites splitting the country or undermines national unity,” the rules state.

The draft rules were released a few hours after Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., one of the largest tech companies in China, debuted an AI chatbot called Tongyi Qianwen. The chatbot will initially be available as part of their company’s DingTalk collaboration application and Tmall Genie smart speakers. Alibaba stated that it plans to integrate Tongyi Qianwen into additional products in the near future.

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