AI | China Curated

China’s business ‘ecosystems’ are helping it win the global A.I. race | Fortune

“China’s “Sputnik Moment” is what Kai-Fu Lee, author of the famous book AI Superpowers, likes to call it. Five years ago, when AlphaGo—an artificial intelligence–based program developed by DeepMind, a startup that Google acquired in 2014—defeated two of the world’s best human exponents of the board game Go, it came as an eye-opener to China and its A.I. community.

Soon after, the Chinese government launched an ambitious Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan to build China’s A.I. ecosystem, promising policy support, central coordination, and investments that are slated to cross the $150 billion mark by 2030. The goal: China’s A.I. industry should generate 1 trillion yuan ($160 billion) of annual revenues, with related industries crossing 10 trillion yuan ($1.6 trillion) in annual sales, by the end of this decade.”

Read the full article @ Fortune:

Commentary: China’s business ‘ecosystems’ are helping it win the global A.I. race

Only in China do technology giants, nudged by the state, orchestrate artificial intelligence efforts that aim to reshape entire industries.

China’s AI unicorns aim to reduce reliance on government surveillance business | The Star

“When Chinese AI unicorns SenseTime, Megvii and Yitu were sanctioned by the US in October last year, it looked like a major threat to the survival of their business.

Yet the supply chain impact of being added to Washington’s Entity List, which restricted their access to American products, has been less significant than originally feared. In fact, it was quickly overshadowed by the need to diversify a business model overly reliant on government orders for surveillance cameras in a market that has since become saturated.”

Read the full article @ The Star:

China’s AI unicorns aim to reduce reliance on government surveillance business

SenseTime and Megvii, the most valuable Chinese AI unicorns worth US$7.5bil and US$4bil respectively, were added to the US Entity List in October last year. In 2019, surveillance was the biggest single end-use for AI in China, accounting for 53.8% of all AI-powered applications.

COVID gave China an edge in A.I. battle against the U.S. | Fortune

“The U.S. and China are battling for global supremacy in artificial intelligence. Amid the pandemic, China may have taken the lead.
“Data is what drives A.I., and China has more data than anyone else,” Kai-Fu Lee, CEO of Chinese venture capital firm Sinovation Ventures and author of AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order, said at the Fortune Global Forum on Tuesday.”

Read the full article @ Fortune (paywall):

COVID gave China an edge in A.I. battle against the U.S.

“Data is what drives AI, and China has more data than anyone else,” says venture capitalist Kai-Fu Lee.

Alibaba-backed AI startup SenseTime to help China handle digital Yuan | Cointelegraph

“As China is moving forward with blockchain projects amid the COVID-19 crisis, the government has tapped another tech partnership to continue the development of China’s digital yuan.

Domestic artificial intelligence (AI) startup SenseTime has partnered with the People’s Bank of China’s (PBoC) Digital Currency Research Institute to provide its AI expertise amid the reported trials of the central bank’s digital currency (CBDC).”

Read the full article @ Cointelegraph:

Alibaba-Backed AI Startup SenseTime to Help China Handle Digital Yuan

Hong Kong-based AI startup SenseTime partnered with PBoC’s digital currency research unit to continue the development of the digital yuan.

Ping An’s blockchain, AI-based consumer finance firm launches in China with $700m funding | Ledger Insights

“Yesterday, China’s Ping An Insurance announced it has set up Ping An Consumer Finance in Shanghai with a registered capital of RMB 5 billion ($700 million). The new company has been established under Ping An’s ‘finance+technology’ strategy and incorporates the Group’s expertise in AI, blockchain and cloud computing.

Ping An said its technology system would underpin the entire consumer finance business, including customer acquisition, product innovation, credit review, risk management, post-lending management and customer service. The goal is to create synergy between other group companies and form a closed-loop financial system.

[…]

Ping An has a significant presence in the blockchain space, with 68 blockchain patents. It also has 679 AI patents and 48 in cloud computing. OneConnect Financial, an AI and blockchain offshoot from the group, went public on the New York stock exchange last year.”

Read the full article @ Ledger Insights:

Ping An’s blockchain, AI-based consumer finance firm launches in China with $700m funding – Ledger Insights – enterprise blockchain

Giant Chinese insurer Ping An has now launched Ping An Consumer Finance with a capital of $700 million. It will leverage the firm’s blockchain and AI tech

Tencent bets big on AI development with investment in two startups | KrASIA

“Chinese internet giant Tencent (HKG: 0700) has placed a strategic bet on the AI industry by investing in two companies, local media Caijingtuya reported on Monday.

Through the Tencent Industry Win-Win Fund, the corporate venture arm of Tencent, the internet giant took a 2.44% stake in Ningbo-based AI vision company Qting Vision on Sunday, just one day after it obtained a 1.23% stock in Beijing-based Sinoits Tech, according to enterprise data provider Tianyancha. Financial details of both deals were not disclosed.”

Read the full article @ KrASIA:

Tencent bets big on AI development with investment in two startups

The two companies are among seven startups the giant has invested in via its Tencent Industry Win-Win Fund since March.

Tencent unveils investments for virus-hit Wuhan | Phnom Penh Post

“Tencent Holdings Ltd has announced a string of investment plans in Wuhan, the city where the novel coronavirus first emerged and which has just lifted months-long lockdown.

The internet giant pledged to invest in digital government, online education, smart transportation and artificial intelligence in the city, with a goal of quadrupling the number of employees in five years.

Tencent will push ahead with the Tencent (Wuhan) Digital Industry Headquarters in the city, where it aims to embark on digital governance and smart city initiatives.”

Read the full article @ The Phnom Penh Post:

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China may forge ahead of the US in AI chip race, but at what cost to both? | SCMP

“With decoupling in trade and technology proceeding apace, China’s focus on this critical component of its hi-tech development reflects a desire to be self-sufficient. But technology warfare based on techno-nationalism benefits no one in the end.”

Read the full article @ South China Morning Post:

China may well beat the US in AI chip race, but at what cost to both?

Success in artificial intelligence is not limited to data and algorithms. The third component that determines success in research and applications is advanced specialised

Demiurge AI discovers the clinical benefits and risks of Remdesivir, Chloroquine, and PI3K inhibitors against 2019 novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) | Demiurge Technologies

“Demiurge is responding to the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) through the appropriate use of our AI platform of discovering novel therapeutic solutions and predicting clinical trial outcomes. We are conducting deep analyses of published studies and clinical data on COVID-19 against our precise broad-spectrum virology models.

In addition to the previous discoveries of multiple PI3K inhibitors as novel therapeutic options for COVID-19, we hereby officially announce further discoveries of the clinical benefits and risks of Remdesivir, Chloroquine, and PI3K inhibitors against COVID-19: […]”

Read the full article @ Demiurge Technologies:

Demiurge AI Discovers the Clinical Benefits and Risks of Remdesivir, Chloroquine, and PI3K inhibitors against 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

SWITZERLAND, SUNDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 2020 7:35 AM CET Demiurge is responding to the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) through the appropriate use of our AI platform of

Outpacing US, China to gain AI supremacy by 2022, says report | Analytics Insight

“According to a recent report released by the Chinese Institute of Electronics, the AI industry of China is expected to reach US$ 20 billion by 2022. As comprehended by the White Paper on New Generation of Artificial Intelligence Industry, China’s new generation AI industry is growing steadily, and diversified applications are leading the technology into a rapid growth period.”

Read the full article @ Analytics Insight:

Outpacing US, China to Gain AI Supremacy by 2022, says report

China AI policy community is paying close attention to the AI industries and policies of other countries, particularly the United States which is its tough competitor in this arena. Chinese government organizations routinely translate, disseminate, and analyze the US government and think tank report…

China – The First Artificial Intelligence Superpower | Forbes

“China is on its way to becoming the first global superpower for Artificial Intelligence.

The People’s Republic of China has the most ambitious AI strategy of all nations and provides the most resources worldwide for its implementation.

China combines a gigantic amount of data with talent, companies, research and capital to build the world’s leading AI ecosystem.”

Source: Fabian Westerheide, AI for Humans, Rise of AI (Asgard) (enlarge)

Read the full article @ Forbes:

China – The First Artificial Intelligence Superpower

China combines a gigantic amount of data with talent, companies, research and capital to build the world’s leading AI ecosystem.

What could we learn from China’s national AI team (国家队) strategy | SMU Artificial Intelligence Club

“The notion of a national team is usually associated with sports teams representing the nation on the global stage for a shot at glory. These days, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments all the rage, nations are creating national teams for the race towards AI superiority. Amidst all the hype that one is exposed to in the media over the possible doomsday scenario about how AI could ruin our lives, governments and businesses across the globe are rapidly positioning themselves to ride the next wave of change.

In 2017, China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) handpicked 4 of its technology giants, forming a ‘national team’ to lead the way in building open innovation platforms that are accessible through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). This initiative was created to foster participation and hence innovation in sectors that will increasingly be powered by AI technologies in an effort to support the entrepreneurship of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This national team is expected to contribute in areas such as research and development, sharing data, open source software and ecosystem participation. Moreover, MOST is very supportive in encouraging the deployment of these technologies at the provincial level. This includes providing resources and access to city infrastructure to allow for proof of concepts to scale. (DigiChina, 2019)”

Read the full article @ SMU Artificial Intelligence Club on Medium:

MEDIUM – SMU Artificial Intelligence Club

What could we learn from China’s National AI Team (国家队) Strategy

Commission warns AI could help China surpass U.S. military | National Defense Magazine

“A commission established by Congress to regularly review the national security implications of the U.S.-China relationship is warning that Chinese leaders’ prioritization of artificial intelligence technology could provide them with military advantages in a potential conflict with the United States.”

Read the full article @ National Defense Magazine:

Commission Warns AI Could Help China Surpass U.S. Military

The unanswered questions in America’s AI strategy | Axios

“Three years since the White House first publicly considered the U.S. government’s role as a shepherd of artificial intelligence research, pivotal unanswered questions are still holding back a coherent strategy for boosting the critical technology at home.

Why it matters: China’s authoritarian system, largely untroubled by deliberative holdups, has been pouring money into its AI sector.

The big questions around U.S. AI policy largely revolve around competition with adversaries — which for now, yes, mostly means China: […]”

Read the full article @ Axios:

The unanswered questions in America’s AI strategy revolve around China

China’s authoritarian system, largely untroubled by deliberative holdups, has been pouring money into its AI sector.

Beijing AI principles | BAAI

“The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) concerns the future of the whole society, all humankind, and the environment. The principles below are proposed as an initiative for the research, development, use, governance and long-term planning of AI, calling for its healthy development to support the construction of a human community with a shared future, and the realization of beneficial AI for humankind and nature.”

Read the full article @ BAAI:

Beijing AI Principles

The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) concerns the future of the whole society, all humankind, and the environment. The principles below are proposed as an initiative for

Understanding China’s AI strategy: Clues to Chinese strategic thinking on Artificial Intelligence and national security | CNAS

“In the second half of 2018, I traveled to China on four separate trips to attend major diplomatic, military, and private-sector conferences focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI). During these trips, I participated in a series of meetings with high-ranking Chinese officials in China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, leaders of China’s military AI research organizations, government think tank experts, and corporate executives at Chinese AI companies. From these discussions – as well as my ongoing work analyzing China’s AI industry, policies, reports, and programs – I have arrived at a number of key judgments about Chinese leadership’s views, strategies, and prospects for AI as it applies to China’s economy and national security. Of course, China’s leadership in this area is a large population with diversity in its views, and any effort to generalize is inherently presumptuous and essentially guaranteed to oversimplify. However, the distance is large between prevailing views in American commentary on China’s AI efforts and what I have come to believe are the facts. I hope by stating my takeaways directly, this report will advance the assessment of this issue and be of benefit to the wider U.S. policymaking community.” – Gregory C. Allen

Read the full report @ Center for a New American Security:

Understanding China’s AI Strategy

Developing strong, pragmatic and principled national security and defense policies.

Download the full White Paper [PDF, 1.3 MB]

Guangzhou International Institute of AI launched in Nansha | Life of Guangzhou

“The Guangzhou International Institute of Artificial Intelligence (AI) was launched in the Nansha Free Trade Zone on December 9. The institute will attempt within three years to attract no less than 30 high-end talent teams with strong influence in the Chinese and foreign AI industries to help facilitate the construction of Nansha’s first-class international AI industrial park.”

Read the full article @ Life of Guangzhou:

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China’s New Generation of Artificial Intelligence Development Plan (State Council Document [2017] No. 35)| FLIA

“The Chinese State Council has issued a guideline on the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and the establishment of a goal to become a global innovation center in this field by 2030. Here is the full translation of the guideline: A New Generation of Artificial Intelligence Development Plan.”

Read the full translation of the State Council Document [2017] No. 35 @ Foundation for Law & International Affairs (FILA):

China’s New Generation of Artificial Intelligence Development Plan – FLIA

The full translation of China’s New Generation of Artificial Intelligence Development Plan

The State Council issues the “New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” | Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China

“Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 20th: The State Council recently issued the “New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” (hereinafter referred to as “Plan”), which proposed guidelines, strategic goals, key tasks and safeguards for the development of China’s new generation of artificial intelligence for 2030 – build China’s first-mover advantage in the development of artificial intelligence, and accelerate the construction of an innovative country and a world power of science and technology.”

Read the full issue on the website @ Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China:

国务院印发《新一代人工智能发展规划》_滚动新闻_中国政府网

国务院近日印发《新一代人工智能发展规划》（以下简称《规划》），提出了面向2030年我国新一代人工智能发展的指导思想、战略目标、重点任务和保障措施，部署构筑我国人工智能发展的先发优势，加快建设创新型国家和世界科技强国。,2017-07-20-17:07:00