Individuals utilizing artificial intelligence technologies to facilitate cybercrime activities, such as telecom fraud, will face severe penalties, a guideline said on Monday.

The 16-article guideline, jointly issued by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security, emphasizes the continued importance of cracking down on aiding cybercrimes and further specifies circumstances where offenders should be harshly punished.

While imposing serious punishments on people using AI-related technologies such as deep synthesis to aid cybercrime, the guideline also clarifies that those who organize or exploit minors, college students, the elderly, disabled people and other vulnerable groups to conduct such offenses will be strongly combated.

"In recent years, online crimes, with telecom fraud as a prominent example, have been occurring frequently, leading to a proliferation of related criminal activities that severely jeopardize cybersecurity, social stability, and people's livelihood," Wang Bin, chief judge of the SPC's Third Criminal Division, said while introducing the guideline.

He revealed that the formulation of the document and the elaboration of these circumstances stemmed from the persistently high number of crimes involving phone cards and bank cards, as well as the increasing prevalence of organized, cross-border activities utilizing advanced technologies to aid online crimes.

He added that the guideline will help police, prosecutors and judges deal with cases more efficiently and effectively.

In addition, the guideline allows police, prosecutors and judges to show leniency if suspects are lured to aid cybercrimes and circumstances of their offense are not serious.