Chinese state media is urging people to stop using English-language artificial intelligence (AI) terms and instead use standardized Chinese equivalents. The move is framed as an effort to strengthen China’s “discourse power” and improve the country’s ability to influence how technology topics are discussed.
The campaign comes as AI-related vocabulary increasingly enters everyday speech in China, with some English terms—such as “agent” and “LLM” (large language model)—described as widely used. The commentary cited by outlets says that using consistent Chinese terminology would reduce reliance on foreign wording and align public communication with domestic standards.
While both outlets describe the same policy push and rationale, their coverage differs in emphasis. South China Morning Post focuses on state media messaging and the specific examples highlighted in the commentary. NDTV summarizes the issue more broadly, focusing on the intended impact on China’s ability to shape global conversations about technology. Neither outlet disputes the premise of the state media call, but they present it with different levels of detail.
