Alibaba's AI model, Tongyi Qianwen, similar to ChatGPT, is now available for public and enterprise use across China. This release coincides with China's relaxation of restrictions on AI technology.




Alibaba Makes ChatGPT-Style AI Model Tongyi Qianwen Public Amid Easing Restrictions in China


Alibaba, the tech giant, has unveiled its own large language model called Tongyi Qianwen, which bears similarities to OpenAI's ChatGPT. This artificial intelligence system, based on a vast dataset of English and Chinese text, will be accessible to both the public and enterprises across China starting September 13.


While the exact specifications of Tongyi Qianwen remain undisclosed, early rumors suggested that it could be trained with up to 10 trillion parameters, surpassing OpenAI's GPT-4 by a factor of 10. However, these claims have not been officially confirmed. Alibaba had previously released two open-source models based on the Tongyi Qianwen architecture, both featuring 7 billion parameters.


Until this announcement, Tongyi Qianwen was only available to a limited group of users during its beta testing phase. This wider public rollout aligns with recent regulatory changes in China related to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.


In June, the Chinese government introduced guidelines requiring a special vetting and certification process for all AI technologies intended for public release. These rules came into effect on August 15, and several prominent Chinese companies, including Baidu, Tencent, TikTok, and ByteDance, received approval to launch AI models under these new regulations.


Among the provisions of the updated restrictions are guidelines preventing the creation of images resembling China's president, Xi Jinping, and requirements for organizations to address objectionable content within a three-month timeframe. Earlier versions of the legislation included monetary fines, but this penalty was ultimately removed.


As China explores a more flexible regulatory environment for AI, the United States is still in the early stages of developing its own regulatory framework for artificial intelligence. Recently, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer initiated a series of forums, involving top tech CEOs and founders, to discuss potential policy measures related to AI technology.


Alibaba's release of Tongyi Qianwen demonstrates the company's commitment to providing advanced AI capabilities to both the public and enterprises in China, reflecting the evolving landscape of AI adoption and regulation in the country.


(TRISTAN GREENE, CoinTelegraph, 2023)