As OpenClaw sparks security fears, China vows new AI safeguards – what are they?

China has pledged to strengthen artificial intelligence (AI) security, including through a new data property rights framework, at a time when users and businesses are rapidly adopting the highly coveted but controversial OpenClaw. On Monday, Liu Liehong, head of the National Data Administration, said security and compliance had become core challenges as AI spread across industry and daily life. Speaking at the China Development Forum, Liu cited challenges ranging from copyright disputes over training data and AI-generated content to security threats such as data poisoning – a type of cyberattack that manipulates AI models. “To this end, we are establishing a robust data property rights framework that clearly defines rights and responsibilities for data supply, circulation and usage,” Liu said. “At the same time, we are advancing an integrated security governance solution that unifies data, technology and network safeguards, delivering the strong security foundation needed to scale AI applications responsibly.” Security management for AI agents such as OpenClaw, Liu said, would follow the principles of “least privilege, proactive defence and continuous auditing”. He noted that addressing these challenges would require coordinated action from AI providers, end users and regulators. At the same forum, Ant Group CEO Han Xinyi said AI developers should bear responsibility for maintaining security. “Safety and ethical safeguards must be built into the model by design, embedded from the ground up rather than addressed retroactively after harms occur”, Han said, adding that intense market competition must never be used as an excuse to dilute safety standards. Ant Group is the fintech affiliate of Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post. Driven by technological innovation and expanding commercial applications, China’s AI-related industry was expected to exceed 10 trillion yuan (US$1.45 trillion) by the end of 2030, Liu said. To meet growing demand, the country would continue to pursue “moderately forward-looking investment” and would rigorously plan the layout and construction of computing infrastructure, he added. Plans included large-scale data centres in western regions that provide stable, efficient computing power for large-model training in coastal provinces, alongside deeper integration of renewable energy with computing facilities, Liu said. China would also accelerate the construction of a national computing hub and promote an integrated system nationwide for scheduling resources, he said. “These efforts aim to better meet the robust and growing demand for computing power from small and medium-sized enterprises and research institutions,” he added.