BEIJING - Human primacy must be upheld in military applications of artificial intelligence (AI), and all relevant weapon systems must be put under human control to avoid technological runaway, a Chinese defense spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a media question regarding reports that the US Department of War demanded that American technology companies allow unrestricted use of AI technologies by the military, and the US military employed AI tools extensively in military operations against Venezuela and Iran.

Such choices as the unrestricted application of AI by the military, using AI as a tool to violate the sovereignty of other nations, allowing AI to excessively affect war decisions, and giving algorithms the power to determine life and death, not only erode ethical restraints and accountability in wars, but also risk technological runaway, Jiang said.

He expressed opposition to using the lead in AI and other emerging technologies to pursue absolute military dominance or to undermine the sovereignty and territorial security of other countries.

China will work with other nations to advance multilateral AI governance centered on the UN, strengthen risk prevention and control, and ensure that AI always advances in a direction conducive to the progress of human civilization.