A forum focusing on how artificial intelligence (AI) can support the development of online civilization was held on Tuesday during the 2026 China Internet Civilization Conference in Nanning, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
At the forum, experts and scholars discussed trends in AI development and pathways for security governance, offering insights into how to promote AI innovation while strengthening the digital foundations of online civilization.
Guan Xiaohong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said AI system security is no longer solely a technical issue. As information technology becomes increasingly networked, intelligent and integrated with physical systems, AI security has become an important part of the broader cyber security framework, with risks extending across the entire life cycle from development to application.
In response to emerging AI-related threats, Guan called for a governance approach that combines both technology and management. He stressed that security awareness should be incorporated at the earliest stages of system design and management.
During the event, the National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee released the “AI Application Ethics and Security Guidelines 1.0.” The document focuses on ethical and security issues in AI applications and provides guidance for AI development, service provision and usage, aiming to promote the healthy and orderly growth of AI technologies under secure and controllable standards.
The 2026 China Internet Civilization Conference is being held from May 19 to 20, highlighting China’s efforts to build a safer and more positive online environment. The conference brings together government officials, technology industry leaders, academics and online influencers through an opening ceremony, a main forum and 14 sub-forums focused on online governance and digital culture.
