Analysts have actually been raising issues over Twitter’s current hiring of expert system (AI) star Fei-Fei Li, who has links to the Chinese Communist Party.

Twitter designated Stanford teacher and former Google vice president Li to its board as an independent director previously this month, mentioning her AI competence.

Li’s consultation followed she left her role as primary researcher of AI/ ML (expert system/machine knowing) at Google Cloud in October 2018 following a debate surrounding Google’s Project Maven effort, which assisted the Pentagon recognize drone targets from fuzzy video footage.

The project triggered a staff member revolt at Google, with some 4,000 signing a petition versus Project Maven, and some stopping in demonstration.

Li was likewise important in the establishing of a brand-new Google AI laboratory in China.

Twitter currently utilizes an AI strategy called deep discovering to suggest tweets to its users and likewise utilizes AI to recognize racist material and hate speech, or material from extremist groups.

France-based analyst Wang Longmeng stated hiring Li to operate at Twitter was like hiring a fox to secure the hen-coop.

“They seem to have ignored the backstory of Li’s previous cooperation with China,” he stated. “Li Fei-fei … secretly opposed Google’s cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense from a high moral standpoint … but turned a blind eye to Project Dragonfly, in which Google was planning to help the Chinese Communist Party vet online speech.”

Wang stated Li likewise utilized a motto carefully connected with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a 2017 media interview in China, promising to assist China establish its AI abilities.

“I hope that democratic countries will reflect on this and start plugging the loopholes,” he stated. “Fei-fei Li is very likely to be one of those loopholes.”

Secret military technology

Li is likewise an advisor on AI to China’s distinguished Tsinghua University. Its vice president You Zheng has stated that the university’s AI research study has 2 main functions, one of which is to fulfill national defense requires under a “military-civilian integration policy.”

AI has actually been called as a secret military technology under President Xi, who has actually revealed that China prepares to end up being a world leader in the field by 2030.

In addition, Li has actually been connected to a trainees’ association under the aegis of the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department.

Mainland media reports noted her as a visitor at China Overseas Skill Exchange Conferences in the southern city of Guangzhou in 2017 and in Beijing in 2018, both of which were hosted by the American and european Alumni Association under the aegis of the United Front Work Department.

Li likewise has ties to the Beijing-based Future Online forum for the advancement of mobile technology with a strong 5G focus. The organization runs under the aegis of the state-run China Association for Science and Technology, and is supported by Beijing’s Chaoyang District Federal government, according to its website.

The Online forum has actually been related to some of the most significant names in Chinese technology, consisting of NetEase creator Ding Lei and Baidu creator Li Yanhong. More remarkably, there are a number of descendants of veteran revolutionaries associated with the organization– consisting of Zhu Yulai, child of former leading Zhu Rongji, and Liu Lefei, child of former Politburo member Liu Yunshan.

Uphold totally free speech

Renee Xia, head of the overseas- based Chinese Human Rights Protectors (CHRD) network, contacted Twitter to support totally free speech.

She stated that the business has actually currently released “blue tick” signs to accounts run by the judgment Chinese Communist Party routine, consisting of the Chinese foreign ministry, state-run Xinhua news firm, and the People’s Daily, the official mouth piece of the ruling party.

” One of Twitter’s accreditation requirements is that [blue-tick accounts] must work for the public excellent,” Xia stated. “How can you certify a government agency that monitors people’s internet use and suppresses freedom of expression? Twitter needs to do more.”

Xia pointed out the current detention of former reporter Zhang Jialong, who was tried out public order charges for remarks made on social media this month.

“The vast majority of the Chinese people cannot use Twitter freely and legally, but Chinese officials can illegally obtain Zhang Jialong’s comments on Twitter,” Xia stated.

Reported by Ng Yik-tung and Sing Guy for RFA’s Cantonese Service, and by Zheng Chongsheng for the Mandarin Service. Equated and modified by Luisetta Mudie.

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