Regulatory Principles of Development, Introduction and Use of Artificial Intelligence in Asian countries

Abstract

The Eastern Asia region is emerging as a new centre of innovative development of information technologies and global digital economy. The digital transformation of socioeconomic and political existence of countries is inextricably linked to the development and adoption of new regulatory systems. The overall success of the digital transformation of economy and society is hinged on the introduction of specific groups of technologies. Identifying specific groups of technologies as the reference points of the digital transformation is equally sensible from a regulatory perspective. Artificial intelligence is a key technology for digital transformation of any country at large. This study purports to identify the main regulatory features of the development, introduction and use of artificial intelligence in Asian countries such as People’s Republic of China, Singapore, Republic of Korea and Japan which are global digital leaders and which were chosen for this study on the basis of an analysis of independent ratings. A comparative study of the core regulatory provisions aimed at harmonizing social relationships arising from the development, introduction and use of artificial intelligence in the countries in question allows to propose possible ways of developing national regulation in respect of ethics and law applicable to AI. Based on the methodology of formal logical analysis and comparative law, the study allows to identify the essential regulatory principles of the development, introduction and use of AI in the selected countries. The findings point out a considerable similarity both at the level of strategic documents and codified regulatory principles, with the precedence for welfare of society and state. While some of the documents under study make references to human rights and individual liberties, the key idea is the achievement of prosperity and sustainable development of society. This approach is better suited to be replicated in the context of Russia. While all of the reviewed instru- ments perpetuate a humanistic approach involving an assessment of AI’s impact on users, society, environment, its interpretation in Asian countries differs from the one adopted in the Western world.