East Asian Legal Studies Talk:
Curtis J. Milhaupt
William F. Baxter-Visa Interna
tional Professor of Law
Stanford Law School
Senior Fellow\, by co
urtesy\, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Professor Milhaupt will discuss “Networked State Capital in China’s AI Ecosystem\,” his current joint project with Liwen Lin\, Associate Professor at the Unive rsity of British Columbia\, Allard School of Law.
Self-reliance and t echnological resilience in artificial intelligence are national priorities of the Chinese party-state. Yet most of the key players in China’s AI ecosy stem – including major platform and technology groups designated by the gov ernment as members of the “AI National Team” as well as AI unicorns – remai n privately controlled at the apex of their corporate groups. If AI is a st rategic priority\, why are many of the leading players not subject to apex- level state ownership and hierarchical administrative control traditionally associated with Chinese state capitalism?
Using corporate registry d ata\, the article maps where state-affiliated capital enters otherwise priv ate technology groups and AI unicorns. The analysis shows that state capita l is positioned at multiple points within AI ownership\, investment\, and d eployment networks\, typically in subsidiaries below the apex. Some of thes e positions create durable channels through which the development of techno logy\, pilot projects\, standard setting\, and deployment can be coordinate d with policy priorities.
The article conceptualizes China’s approach to state capitalism in the AI sector as a networked system of state capita l and institutionalized state-private encounters rather than a binary divid e between state-owned and private firms.
Curtis J. Milhaupt is an internationally recognized expert on comparativ e corporate governance\, the legal systems of East Asia (particularly Japan ese law)\, and state capitalism.
A light lunch will be served. Please register here. Registration is not required but appreciated\ , for planning purposes.
A Harvard ID is required in order to enter H arvard Law School buildings. If you have questions\, please contact eals@la w.harvard.edu in advance of the event.
Co-sponsored by the Berkma n Klein Center for Internet & Society.
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