{
  "id": 7108766,
  "title": "Does Beijing need AI talent in ‘public opinion war’ over South China Sea?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/does-beijing-need-ai-talent-in-public-opinion-war-over-south-china-sea",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-13T13:00:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3367357/does-beijing-need-ai-talent-public-opinion-war-over-south-china-sea"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A leading expert on the South China Sea dispute has urged Chinese think tanks to recruit AI talent for the \"public opinion war\" being waged over the contested waters. Wu Shicun, the founding president of China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, spoke at a forum in Shenzhen, warning that physical maritime power alone would not suffice against losing the narrative battle. He emphasized that cognitive and public opinion warfare are becoming primary battlegrounds. To counter this, Wu advocated for the integration of AI and algorithm engineers into think tank research, urging a shift from traditional scholarship to technical and engineering capabilities. This call for greater AI involvement came amid heightened tensions between China and the United States over AI technology. Both countries are navigating a complex landscape, with concerns about data privacy and national security surfacing alongside the geopolitical competition. At the Shenzhen forum, discussions also focused on the need for rigorous researcher training and the responsible use of AI to avoid crossing sensitive national boundaries. Meanwhile, the forum underscored the challenge of Western dominance in AI training, which threatens China's \"knowledge sovereignty.\" As Beijing continues to expand its think tank sector as a soft-power tool, the debate over integrating AI into these institutions highlights the intersection of technological advancement and geopolitical strategy.",
  "summary": "A leading South China Sea analyst has urged Chinese think tanks to recruit AI talent for the “public opinion war” over the disputed waters. Wu Shicun, the founding president of China’s National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said Chinese humanities and social science research had traditionally operated in a “lone-wolf” fashion and lacked interdisciplinary diversity. “The situation in the…",
  "key_points": [
    "Wu Shicun urges Chinese think tanks to recruit AI talent for public opinion war.",
    "Cognitive and public opinion warfare become primary battlegrounds in South China Sea dispute.",
    "Call for AI integration amid heightened China-US tensions over AI technology."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Does Beijing need AI talent in ‘public opinion war’ over South China Sea?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/does-beijing-need-ai-talent-in-public-opinion-war-over-south-china-sea-7109485",
        "published": "2026-09-13T13:00:06.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}