Visitors watch a robot dance at the World Robot Conference 2017 in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 25, 2017. Over 300 artificial intelligent (AI) specialists and representatives of over 150 robot enterprises attended the conference. (Xinhua/Li Mingfang)

BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Senior legislators on Saturday met to study and discuss the legislative and supervisory work to foster and regulate the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over and addressed the study session of the NPC Standing Committee Chairpersons' Council.

The legislators said a speech delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, set the direction and made plans for technological innovation and AI development in the new era, raising specific demands for the people's congresses and their standing committees to promote the healthy development of China's new-generation AI.

They stressed upholding the Party's leadership over the cause of science and technology development and striving to achieve leapfrog development in key scientific and technological areas such as AI. They said the NPC and its standing committee should plan their legislative and supervisory work around this goal.

The NPC special committees, working organs and relevant departments should carry out as soon as possible research on legal issues related to AI, make sound preparations for relevant legislation work, and promote the healthy and orderly development of AI, the legislators said.