Microsoft continues surveillance research with Chinese military-linked universities

In recent developments, Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA) has been found to maintain ongoing collaboration with universities linked to China's military, despite publicly stated restrictions on sensitive research areas such as facial recognition. Founded in 1998 and located in Beijing and Shanghai, MSRA has established a reputation for AI research that raises ethical concerns due to its potential application in mass surveillance. An alarming report revealed that since March 2024, MSRA researchers published ten papers involving co-authorships with researchers from sanctioned Chinese universities, which are closely associated with the People’s Liberation Army. The sanctioned institutions, including Beihang University, Harbin Institute of Technology, and the University of Science and Technology of China, have each been implicated in supporting military modernization or acquiring technology for military programs. For instance, Beihang University was sanctioned in March 2023 for its contributions to China's military efforts, while Harbin Institute of Technology faced sanctions for attempting to acquire U.S. items to support military missile systems. Meanwhile, the University of Science and Technology of China was sanctioned in May 2024 for its role in advancing quantum technology pertinent to military use. Despite Microsoft claiming to limit its collaborations with military-affiliated universities, evidence suggests that the company's attempts to distance itself from past affiliations have not fully succeeded. Reports indicate that MSRA discontinued recruitment from these “Seven Sons of National Defense” universities in 2022 but the research output has persisted, continuing to push boundaries that operate within a framework of imprecise restrictions. The implications of this ongoing research pose significant ethical questions about the role of technology in enhancing surveillance capabilities in China. A 2022 paper published by an MSRA researcher highlighted that person re-identification—a subfield of computer vision—is instrumental in supervising public order through intelligent video surveillance systems, underscoring the possible misuse of the technology developed within these frameworks. This research environment exposes a stark intersection between corporate interests and geopolitical tensions, especially as scrutiny over Microsoft’s position in China increases amid deteriorating U.S.-China relations. The dynamics of these partnerships suggest that even while Microsoft portrays an anti-China stance, the company's operations continue to benefit from China's advancements in surveillance technology.