Chinese AI tool can ‘check loyalty of party members’

A new research paper published in China purports to have shown how an artificial intelligence (AI) solution is able to check if people are loyal to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Developed by researchers at Hefei Comprehensive National Science Centre, the tool is supposedly able to analyse facial expressions and brainwaves to accurately determine the extent to which the person is receptive to “thought education”.

According to a report in The Times, the paper was removed from the internet soon after its publication due to backlash purporting that this type of tool was a step too far, even in a surveillance state such as China.

“Hefei Comprehensive National Science Centre said the system could read facial expressions and brain waves, analysing how attentive a member was to “thought and political education” so as to “further solidify their confidence and determination to be grateful to the party, listen to the party and follow the party,” explained Didi Tang in The Times.

A video was published alongside the article that showed one of the 43 Communist Party members who allegedly volunteered for the research project watching a screen that showed articles promoting achievements of the CCP.

This is not the first instance of brainwaves allegedly being read by researchers in China, with a 2018 article in the South China Morning Post finding that a form of brain-scanning technology was being used in Hangzhou to read the emotions of workers.

AI ethics experts have reacted to this news and previous examples of dangerous uses of AI with concern. While the paper was taken down soon after publication, it is not yet known if there are more examples of these research projects currently happening in China.