Ai Weiwei on China, the West and shrinking space for dissent

Censorship has been a constant in Ai Weiwei's life. The 68-year-old Chinese dissident, whose activist art has made him among Beijing's most prominent critics, has seen his films, sculptures and other works restricted for their criticisms of China as well as his outspoken advocacy for human rights around the world. Speaking in London ahead of the January 29 launch of his new book On Censorship," he discussed returning to China for the first time in a decade, the impact of AI on freedom of expression, and what he sees as the erosion of free speech in the West. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.