Chinese researchers outline 5-stage roadmap for recursive self-improving AI

Researchers from ByteDance, Tsinghua University, and Shanghai AI Lab published a joint paper outlining a five-stage roadmap for recursive self-improvement (RSI), aiming to develop AI that can build better versions of itself without human intervention. The paper signals China's strategic push to lead in advanced AI capabilities, potentially intensifying the US-China AI race. The feasibility and timeline of RSI remain uncertain, but the move underscores a major technological ambition with broad implications for AI governance and security.