Dynamics of social and cultural institutions in AI governing: a PMC study based on China’s AI policy

Abstract This study focuses on a multidimensional evaluation of China’s artificial intelligence (AI) governance policies by employing the Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) index model to systematically analyze the performance and coherence of these policies in terms of goal setting, technological attributes, risk governance, and socio-cultural institutional embedding. The study conceptualizes AI as a novel form of cultural and social technology rather than merely an intelligent agent. This perspective highlights AI’s role in reorganizing and restructuring information flow, cultural expression, and institutional operations. By constructing a PMC evaluation framework that integrates technological, risk, and socio-cultural dimensions, this research reveals both strengths and weaknesses in the current policy system, particularly significant gaps in embedding socio-cultural institutions. Combining theoretical and empirical analyses, the PMC model offers an effective framework for understanding the institutional dynamics of AI governance in China. The findings enrich theoretical perspectives on AI governance and provide empirical support for policy formulation.