Sinicized AI via indigenous knowledge

Zheng argues China should ground AI in homegrown social‑science 'knowledge systems' so models reflect Chinese values rather than Western frameworks. He warns AI accelerates unwanted civilizational convergence and urges lighter regulations to keep AI talent from moving abroad. — This reframes AI competition as a battle over epistemic infrastructure—who defines the social theories that shape model behavior—and not just chips and datasets.

Sources

After The AI Revolution

Jacob Dreyer 2026.03.10 80% relevant

The article claims China will channel similar technical advances into paternalist, social‑engineering uses that reflect its civilizational priorities (regulating everyday life and offering a generic standard of living), which maps onto the existing idea that AI development in China will be shaped by and integrated with local political and epistemic norms; the piece names China explicitly and cites structural advantages (manufacturing, subsidized electricity) as shaping that trajectory.

Sinicising AI: Zheng Yongnian on Building China’s Own Knowledge Systems

Thomas des Garets Geddes 2025.10.10 100% relevant

Zheng’s claim that DeepSeek mirrors ChatGPT and risks 'Western intellectual colonisation' unless China builds its own foundational social theories.