Promulgated by: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Health Commission (NHC), People’s Bank of China (PBOC), Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China Association for Science and Technology. Document No.: Gong Xin Bu Lian Ke [2026] No. 75. Issued and effective March 20, 2026.
Chapter I. General Provisions
Article 1. These Measures are formulated in order to standardize the ethical governance of artificial intelligence science and technology activities, promote fair, just, harmonious, safe, and responsible innovation, and advance the healthy development of the artificial intelligence industry, pursuant to the Science and Technology Progress Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Opinions on Strengthening the Governance of Science and Technology Ethics, the Measures for the Review of Science and Technology Ethics (Trial) (hereinafter the “Ethics Measures”), and other applicable laws, regulations, and provisions.
Article 2. The artificial intelligence science and technology activities to which these Measures apply are artificial intelligence scientific research, technology development, and other such activities carried out within the territory of the People’s Republic of China that may raise science and technology ethics risks and challenges in respects such as human dignity, public order, life and health, the ecological environment, and sustainable development, as well as other science and technology activities that require artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review pursuant to laws, administrative regulations, and relevant national provisions.
Article 3. Science and technology ethics requirements shall be carried through the entire course of artificial intelligence science and technology activities. Such activities shall follow the artificial intelligence science and technology ethics principles of enhancing human wellbeing, respecting the right to life, upholding fairness and justice, reasonably controlling risk, maintaining openness and transparency, protecting privacy and security, and ensuring controllability and trustworthiness, and shall comply with the Constitution, laws, regulations, and relevant provisions of the State.
Chapter II. Services and Facilitation
Article 4. A standards system for artificial intelligence science and technology ethics shall be established and improved, and the formulation of related international standards, national standards, industry standards, and group standards shall be promoted, with support given to building platforms for international standardization exchange and cooperation.
Institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions, medical and health institutions, enterprises, and science-and-technology-oriented social organizations, among others, are encouraged to participate in the formulation, validation, and promotion of artificial intelligence science and technology ethics standards.
Article 5. The building of a service system for artificial intelligence science and technology ethics shall be advanced, with strengthened provision of services such as risk monitoring and early warning, testing and evaluation, certification, and consultation for artificial intelligence science and technology ethics, so as to enhance enterprises’ capacity for technology research and development and for guarding against artificial intelligence science and technology ethics risks. Support and services for small, medium, and micro enterprises undertaking artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review shall be increased, and international exchange and cooperation on artificial intelligence science and technology ethics shall be advanced.
Article 6. Institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions, medical and health institutions, enterprises, and science-and-technology-oriented social organizations, among others, are encouraged to conduct research on artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review, and technological innovation in artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review shall be supported, so as to strengthen the guarding against artificial intelligence science and technology ethics risks by technical means. The orderly open-sourcing and opening of high-quality datasets for artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review shall be promoted, the development of general-purpose risk management and assessment/audit tools shall be strengthened, and scenario-based science and technology ethics risk assessment and evaluation shall be explored. Artificial intelligence products and services that comply with science and technology ethics shall be promoted, and the intellectual property of science and technology ethics review technology shall be protected.
Article 7. Publicity and education on artificial intelligence science and technology ethics shall be carried out, giving play to the role of science-and-technology-oriented social organizations in such publicity and education, encouraging public participation, promoting practical demonstration, and raising public ethics awareness and literacy. Mass media shall be guided to conduct targeted publicity and education on artificial intelligence science and technology ethics.
Article 8. Institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions, medical and health institutions, enterprises, and science-and-technology-oriented social organizations, among others, shall be supported in carrying out education and training related to artificial intelligence science and technology ethics, advancing the development of vocational and curricular systems, cultivating artificial intelligence science and technology ethics talent through diverse means, and promoting talent exchange.
Chapter III. Implementing Entities
Article 9. Institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions, medical and health institutions, enterprises, and other entities engaged in artificial intelligence science and technology activities are the responsible entities for the management of artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review within their own units, and shall establish an artificial intelligence science and technology ethics committee (hereinafter the “Committee”) in accordance with the requirements of Article 4 of the Ethics Measures. The Committee shall be equipped with the necessary staff, office premises, and funding, and effective measures shall be taken to guarantee that the Committee carries out its work independently. Qualified relevant units are encouraged to pursue certification related to artificial intelligence science and technology ethics management systems.
Article 10. The Committee’s charter, composition, and the duties and obligations of its members shall follow Articles 5 through 8 of the Ethics Measures. The Committee’s composition shall include experts with corresponding professional backgrounds in artificial intelligence technology, application, ethics, and law.
Article 11. Local authorities and relevant competent departments may, in light of actual circumstances, rely on relevant units to establish specialized artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review and service centers (hereinafter “Service Centers”). A Service Center accepts commissions from other units to provide services such as ethics review, re-review, training, and consultation for artificial intelligence science and technology activities. A Service Center may not simultaneously provide review and re-review services for the same artificial intelligence science and technology activity. A Service Center shall establish standardized management systems and procedures, be equipped with full-time personnel capable of artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review and services, and accept supervision by local authorities or relevant competent departments.
Chapter IV. Working Procedures
Section 1. Application and Acceptance
Article 12. For an artificial intelligence science and technology activity falling within the scope set out in Article 2 of these Measures, the person in charge of the activity shall apply to the Committee of their own unit. Where the unit has not established a Committee, or the Committee is not competent to carry out the science and technology ethics review work, the person in charge shall apply to the Service Center commissioned by the unit to carry out the science and technology ethics review; a person without a unit shall commission a qualified Service Center to carry out the science and technology ethics review. The person in charge of the artificial intelligence science and technology activity shall submit application materials to the Committee or Service Center as required. The application materials shall mainly include:
(1) the artificial intelligence science and technology activity plan, including the research background, purpose, and plan, the lawful qualification materials, personnel circumstances, and funding sources of the institutions involved, the algorithmic mechanisms and principles to be adopted, the sources and methods of obtaining data, testing and evaluation methods, the software and hardware products to be formed, and the intended application fields and applicable populations, among other matters;
(2) the science and technology ethics risk assessment of the artificial intelligence science and technology activity and its prevention, control, and emergency response plan, including an assessment of the potential science and technology ethics risks that the anticipated application of the artificial intelligence technology may bring, monitoring and early-warning measures for such ethics risks, and prevention and control plans for possible science and technology ethics risks; and
(3) a letter of commitment to comply with requirements such as artificial intelligence science and technology ethics and scientific research integrity.
Article 13. The Committee or Service Center shall, based on the application materials, decide whether to accept the application and notify the applicant. Where it decides to accept the application, it shall determine whether the general, expedited, or emergency procedure applies based on the likelihood and degree of science and technology ethics risk, urgency of circumstances, and other factors, and shall carry out the science and technology ethics review offline, online, or by other means as required by the applicable procedure. Where materials are incomplete, the Committee or Service Center shall notify the applicant, in a single communication, of the complete set of materials that need to be supplemented.
Section 2. General Procedure and Expedited Procedure
Article 14. A meeting for artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review shall be presided over by the chairperson of the Committee or a vice-chairperson designated by the chairperson, and no fewer than five committee members shall attend, including members from the different categories listed in Article 10 of these Measures. A Service Center may organize and carry out its work with reference to the provisions governing the Committee.
Where the review so requires, advisory experts in relevant fields who have no direct interest in the matter may be invited to provide consultative opinions. Advisory experts shall not participate in the voting at the meeting.
Article 15. In carrying out artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review, the Committee or Service Center shall focus on the following aspects:
(1) Human wellbeing: whether the artificial intelligence science and technology activity has scientific and social value; whether the research objectives have a positive effect on enhancing human wellbeing and achieving sustainable social development; and whether the risks of the activity are reasonably proportionate to its benefits.
(2) Fairness and justice: the criteria for selecting training data and whether the design of the algorithm, model, or system is reasonable; and whether measures are taken to prevent bias and discrimination and algorithmic exploitation, and to safeguard the objectivity and inclusiveness of resource allocation, access to opportunity, and decision-making processes.
(3) Controllability and trustworthiness: whether the robustness of the model or system can be guaranteed so as to cope with open environments, extreme circumstances, and interfering factors; whether the ability of users to control, guide, and intervene in the basic operation of the model or system can be guaranteed; and whether continuous monitoring plans and contingency response plans have been formulated.
(4) Transparency and explainability: whether information such as the purpose, operating logic, interaction methods, and potential risks of the algorithm, model, or system is reasonably disclosed; and whether effective technical means are adopted to enhance the explainability of the algorithm, model, and system.
(5) Accountability and traceability: whether measures such as log management are in place to clearly record sufficient information at each stage of data, algorithm, model, and system, so as to ensure that the full chain can be tracked and managed; and whether the qualifications of the science and technology personnel meet relevant requirements.
(6) Privacy protection: whether sufficient measures are taken to ensure the effective protection of private data in respect of data collection, storage, processing, use, and other processing activities, as well as the research and development of new data technologies.
Article 16. The Committee or Service Center shall, within 30 days of accepting the application, make a decision to approve, require modification and re-review, or disapprove. Where circumstances are complex or materials need to be supplemented or corrected, among other special circumstances, the period may be appropriately extended, with the extended time limit clearly specified.
Where modification is required or the application is disapproved, the Committee or Service Center shall put forward modification suggestions or explain its reasons. Where the applicant objects, it shall lodge an appeal with the Committee or Service Center within three working days from the date the decision is served. Where the grounds for appeal are well founded, the Committee or Service Center shall make a new decision within seven working days.
Article 17. The person in charge of the artificial intelligence science and technology activity shall promptly identify changes in science and technology ethics risk and report the relevant changes to the Committee or Service Center. The Committee or Service Center shall, pursuant to Article 19 of the Ethics Measures, carry out follow-up review of approved artificial intelligence science and technology activities, so as to keep abreast of changes in science and technology ethics risk in a timely manner, and may, where necessary, decide to suspend or terminate the relevant science and technology activity. The interval between follow-up reviews generally shall not exceed 12 months.
Article 18. Where multiple units cooperate in carrying out an artificial intelligence science and technology activity, they may, depending on actual circumstances, mutually recognize the results of the artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review conducted by one another’s units.
Article 19. The expedited procedure may apply in any of the following circumstances:
(1) the likelihood and degree of science and technology ethics risk arising from the artificial intelligence science and technology activity is no higher than the routine risks encountered in daily life;
(2) a minor modification is made to an already approved artificial intelligence science and technology activity plan that does not increase the risk-benefit ratio; or
(3) follow-up review of an artificial intelligence science and technology activity that has undergone no major adjustment.
Article 20. The Committee or Service Center shall formulate working rules and a follow-up frequency for review under the expedited procedure. Review under the expedited procedure shall be undertaken by two or more committee members designated by the Committee’s chairperson. A Service Center may organize and carry out its work with reference to the provisions governing the Committee.
Where, during review under the expedited procedure, a negative review opinion arises, there is doubt about the content under review, or committee members disagree, among other such circumstances, the matter shall be shifted to the general procedure.
Section 3. Expert Re-Review Procedure
Article 21. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Science and Technology shall, together with relevant departments, formulate and issue a “List of Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology Activities Requiring Science and Technology Ethics Expert Re-Review” (hereinafter the “Re-Review List”), and adjust it dynamically as work requires.
Article 22. For an artificial intelligence science and technology activity included on the Re-Review List, after it has passed preliminary review by the Committee or Service Center, the unit itself shall apply for expert re-review. Where multiple units are involved, the lead unit shall be responsible for the application. Central enterprises, and institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions, and medical and health institutions directly subordinate to central and state organs, shall directly apply to the relevant competent department to organize the expert re-review. Other units shall apply to the local authority to organize the expert re-review.
Article 23. The unit undertaking the artificial intelligence science and technology activity shall submit expert re-review materials in accordance with Article 27 of the Ethics Measures.
The local authority or relevant competent department shall, in accordance with Articles 28 through 30 of the Ethics Measures, organize the formation of an expert re-review panel to conduct a re-review of the compliance and reasonableness of the preliminary review opinion, and shall provide feedback with the re-review opinion to the applicant unit within 30 days of receiving the re-review application.
The local authority or relevant competent department may commission a Service Center to carry out the re-review work.
Article 24. The Committee or Service Center shall make a science and technology ethics review decision based on the expert re-review opinion.
Article 25. The Committee or Service Center shall strengthen follow-up review of artificial intelligence science and technology activities included on the Re-Review List, with the interval between follow-up reviews generally not to exceed six months.
Where a major change occurs in the science and technology ethics risk, a fresh science and technology ethics review shall be carried out and expert re-review applied for anew, in accordance with Article 20 of the Ethics Measures.
Article 26. Where an artificial intelligence science and technology activity is already subject to regulatory measures such as registration, filing, or administrative approval in respects such as deep synthesis, algorithmic recommendation, or the administration of generative artificial intelligence services, and compliance with science and technology ethics requirements has been made a condition of approval or a matter of regulatory content therein, expert re-review need no longer be carried out.
Section 4. Emergency Procedure
Article 27. The Committee or Service Center shall formulate an emergency review system for artificial intelligence science and technology ethics, clearly specifying the emergency review process and standard operating procedures applicable under emergency conditions such as sudden public incidents. Emergency review shall generally be completed within 72 hours. For an artificial intelligence science and technology activity to which the expert re-review procedure applies, the review preceding expert re-review shall generally be completed within 36 hours.
Article 28. The Committee or Service Center shall ensure the quality and timeliness of emergency science and technology ethics review, and shall strengthen follow-up work and process oversight. Where necessary, advisory experts in relevant fields may be invited to attend meetings and provide consultative opinions.
Chapter V. Supervision and Administration
Article 29. The Ministry of Science and Technology is responsible for the overall coordination and guidance of nationwide science and technology ethics regulation, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with relevant departments, is responsible for artificial intelligence science and technology ethics governance work, strengthening coordination and guidance of emergency ethics review. Each department shall, within the scope of its duties and powers, be responsible for the supervision and administration of artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review within its own industry or system, and each local authority shall, within the scope of its duties and powers, be responsible for the supervision and administration of artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review within its own region.
Article 30. A unit shall, in accordance with Articles 43 through 45 of the Ethics Measures, register information concerning its Committee and any artificial intelligence science and technology activities included on the Re-Review List through the National Science and Technology Ethics Management Information Registration Platform, and shall submit materials such as the Committee’s annual work report for the preceding year and an implementation report on artificial intelligence science and technology activities included on the Re-Review List. A Service Center shall likewise register and submit its annual work report for the preceding year in accordance with the foregoing provisions.
The Ministry of Science and Technology and relevant competent departments shall share registered information relating to artificial intelligence science and technology ethics on a synchronized basis.
Article 31. Local authorities, relevant competent departments, and units engaged in artificial intelligence science and technology activities shall, in light of the actual circumstances of their own industry, system, or unit, keep open the channels through which violations of artificial intelligence science and technology ethics can be reported, and shall handle such reports in accordance with relevant provisions.
Article 32. Where, in the course of an artificial intelligence science and technology activity or work related to artificial intelligence science and technology ethics, a violation of these Measures occurs, investigation and disposition shall be carried out and corresponding penalties imposed in accordance with the Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Data Security Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Personal Information Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Science and Technology Progress Law of the People’s Republic of China, and other applicable laws, regulations, and relevant provisions.
Chapter VI. Supplementary Provisions
Article 33. Where these Measures provide for a time limit and do not designate it as working days, the time limit is calculated in calendar days.
For the purposes of these Measures, “local authority” means the provincial-level administrative department designated by a provincial-level people’s government as responsible for science and technology ethics review and management in the field of artificial intelligence, and “relevant competent department” means a relevant competent department of the State Council.
Article 34. Local authorities and relevant competent departments may, pursuant to these Measures and in light of actual circumstances, formulate or revise measures, implementing rules, and other institutional norms on artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review and services for their own locality, industry, or system. Science-and-technology-oriented social organizations may formulate specific norms and guidelines for artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review and services within their own fields.
Article 35. Where a relevant competent department has special provisions on artificial intelligence science and technology ethics review and services for its own industry or system that are consistent with the spirit of these Measures, such provisions shall govern. Matters not provided for in these Measures shall be handled in accordance with the Ethics Measures and other relevant laws and regulations.
Article 36. These Measures shall be interpreted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology together with relevant departments.
Article 37. These Measures shall take effect from the date of issuance.
Attachment: List of Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology Activities Requiring Science and Technology Ethics Expert Re-Review
(1) Research and development of human-machine fusion systems that have a strong influence on human subjective behavior, psychological and emotional states, and life and health.
(2) Research and development of algorithmic models, applications, and systems having the capability to mobilize public opinion and guide social consciousness.
(3) Research and development of highly autonomous automated decision-making systems oriented toward scenarios presenting safety or personal-health risks.
This List will be dynamically adjusted as work requires.