AI algorithms could be China's key to winning global narrative on Tibet

To effectively counter Western narratives on Tibet, Beijing must learn to work with, not against, the algorithms that dominate global online discourse. This blunt assessment came from Zachary Lundquist, an American media professional affiliated with the state-run China International Communications Group (CICG).

Speaking in Lhasa, the capital of China's Tibetan autonomous region, Lundquist addressed over 300 media professionals, government officials, and academics at the Second Xizang International Communication Conference on Tuesday. He argued that the primary obstacle to presenting a favorable image of modern Tibet is no longer political hostility from Western governments.

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It is not always born out of pure malice, but the algorithm ‘learns’ these associations over time.

Instead, Lundquist identified the invisible, self-reinforcing recommendation engines of Silicon Valley as the main barrier. He noted that even though Beijing has promoted the region's official romanized pinyin name, "Xizang," since 2023 to assert its sovereign narrative, algorithms often direct Western users searching for "Tibet" toward a "pre-existing, highly politicized narrative."

Lundquist, also known by his Chinese name Huang Hao, explained that these algorithms learn associations over time, not necessarily out of malice. This process creates an "unbreakable information cocoon" where rational voices struggle to be heard above the prevailing, politicized discourse.

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pre-existing, highly politicised narrative