Experts Call for Regulations on AI Smartphones to Protect Consumers
The establishment of a compliance framework for artificial intelligence (AI) smartphones is urgently needed, according to industry experts. Their comments were made during a recent conference at the East China University of Political Science and Law.
Balancing Innovation and Fair Competition
Li Mingde, a scholar at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and director of the Academic Committee of the Intellectual Property Law Society of the China Law Society, emphasized that there is a critical need to balance technological innovation with the prevention of unfair market competition. This balance has become a significant issue for current legal systems, compliance frameworks, and liability structures.
Beyond Technical Concerns
Han Qiang, deputy Party secretary of East China University of Political Science and Law, noted that the challenges associated with AI smartphones extend beyond mere technical issues. They evolve into comprehensive topics that intertwine technological logic, legal systems, and ethical norms.
The Complexity of AI Smartphones
Shan Xiaoguang, a professor at Tongji University, acknowledged that AI smartphone topics are both cutting-edge and complex, presenting numerous challenges and significant research value.
Revisiting Personal Information Protection
Gao Fuping, dean and professor at the Internet Law Institute at East China University of Political Science and Law, highlighted that the continuous sensing, cross-device data reading, and intelligent inference mechanisms of AI smartphones profoundly challenge the personal information protection regime built on the principle of informed consent. Traditional compliance frameworks, which focus on purpose limitation and data minimization, face adaptation challenges in light of AI’s high-frequency and multi-layered data processing patterns.
Proposed Compliance Measures
In response to these issues, experts called for the construction of a compliance framework. Key proposed measures include:
- Defining clear compliance boundaries to ensure AI agent permissions are controllable and traceable.
- Implementing informed consent that is substantively realized, allowing users the ability to refuse, revoke, and delete their data.
- Maintaining complete logs of AI agent processes to record key operations.
- Promoting collaborative governance involving judicial, administrative regulatory, and industry self-regulatory bodies to form a dynamic adjustment mechanism.
Exploring Independent Oversight
Given the potential lag and knowledge limitations in administrative and judicial oversight, seminar participants also explored the establishment of an independent supervisory body.
Legislative Flexibility
Chen Jinchuan, an arbitrator at the World Intellectual Property Organization, suggested that regulatory legislation should not be finalized prematurely. Allowing room for market competition to adjust is essential.
Empowering Users
Guo He, a professor at the Law School of Renmin University of China, emphasized that ensuring users’ substantive informed consent regarding AI functions is central to compliance. Vague notifications should be avoided, empowering users to make autonomous choices at critical junctures.
Conclusion
In closing remarks, Liu Junhua, vice-president of the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court, stressed the importance of examining the potential impacts of this new wave of technological revolution. He urged a calm response to identify real problems and determine the appropriate timing and methods for legal intervention.
