Chinese e-commerce platform in new AI regulation move

Chinese e-commerce platform Pinduoduo has stepped up efforts to regulate artificial intelligence-related content and services on its platform, as authorities move to strengthen oversight of the rapidly developing AI sector.

The company said on Thursday that it will strictly prohibit sellers from publishing or selling a range of AI-related illegal products and services, including AI-assisted exam prediction services, AI data poisoning tools, AI-managed online accounts, as well as the resale of AI-generated virtual accounts.

It is the second time this month that Pinduoduo has tightened governance over AI-related content.

In mid-May, the platform announced a special campaign targeting the removal of AI-generated content labels, pledging to crack down on tutorials teaching users how to remove AI identifiers and services providing unauthorized "de-labeling" tools.

The moves are in line with measures for the identification of AI-generated content and related mandatory standards released by central authorities in March last year. The measures are part of an effort to regulate AI services and applications and promote the healthy and orderly development of the industry.

Pinduoduo has stated that, in a bid to foster a more standardized and trustworthy consumption environment, it has introduced more than 40 comprehensive governance measures since late January this year, covering product access, qualification reviews, advertising governance and intellectual property protection.