The Proliferation of Chinese AI Surveillance Systems

Governments worldwide, including over half of liberal democracies, are embracing AI surveillance, with smart city platforms as the most common form. While often promoted as urban innovations, the Chinese smart-city model primarily functions as a surveillance system that can be abused to consolidate executive power, weaken political competition, violate privacy, suppress expression and assembly, and entrench discrimination.

Its global spread has expanded from 47 countries in 2019 to 88 by 2025 — an 87 percent increase. CEIP reported that military spending is a predictor for the adoption of AI surveillance, while regime type is not. This study uses binary logistic regression to examine what drives the adoption of Chinese AI surveillance. It finds that domestic repression and support for China’s Belt and Road Initiative are the main predictors, in addition to military spending. While the United States and its allies have responded through export controls, technology restrictions, and alternative infrastructure initiatives, democratic nations must also develop new collective strategies to defend democracy and counter rising repression.

Co-Authors: Jim Chen, Norfolk State University

V. Reddy Dondeti, Norfolk State University

Carl B. McGowan, Norfolk State University