China's Race for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology

[cirr]

Knowing you better than you know yourself

2017-12-29 17:03

China Daily Editor: Zhang Shiyu

Experts say that the adoption of AI in China's retail sector is only going to become more prevalent, and consumers can look forward to a shopping experience that is highly customized to their needs and habits.

The term "artificial intelligence" is often associated with driverless cars and highly sophisticated machines that can outsmart even the best of human minds in complicated tasks like the strategy board game Go.

But the application of artificial intelligence (AI) goes far beyond these attention-grabbing examples. In China, for example, AI is playing a less visible albeit vital role in changing online shopping experiences by using algorithms to track, analyze and satisfy each consumer's specific needs.

Online shoppers these days can often find similar alternatives appearing on their screens after searching for a particular product. Virtual shop fronts could also display different products according to each customer's buying habits and preferences. All these are made possible with the application of AI.

"Simply put, AI technology takes a big data set about something, runs it through algorithms such as neural networks and then produces a model which can provide answers like a real human," said Wang Xin, a Shanghai-based partner covering the technology industry at global consultancy Roland Berger.

"The computer then learns to recognize patterns in the data and builds up a base of experiences that can be applied to solve problems in new situations," he added.

RJ Pittman, senior vice-president and chief product officer at eBay, likened AI to an experienced salesperson at a physical store. He also expects the application of such technology to become prevalent in online retail.

In a new report released in November, Roland Berger placed retail on par with finance, medicine and automobile as the industries in China that are most likely to benefit from the adoption of AI. The technology is also expected to help retailers in the country trim 420 billion yuan ($63.5 billion) in operating costs by 2030.

Within retail, e-commerce is the segment that is poised to reap the most benefits. After all, it is a data-rich industry that is well-stocked with information about consumers' browsing histories, purchasing preferences and credit records.

The application of AI in e-commerce is especially important in China because of how Chinese consumers shop, according to a report released in June by Boston Consulting Group.

Research has shown that unlike their Western counterparts who have a more straightforward search-and-buy approach, Chinese consumers have a penchant for exploring during the shopping process.

"Chinese consumers embark on a journey of exploration and discoverythey go online to see what's new or trending, and they interact with fellow buyerssometimes many times a day," according to Chris Biggs, a partner at BCG who leads the digital retail business.

As such, retailers rely on AI to analyze browsing behavior in order to determine the best customized promotions or content to display on each consumer's device.

China's tech giants have wasted little time in placing their chips on AI. According to consultancy Oliver Wyman, Chinese tech companies poured nearly 40 billion yuan into the research and development of this technology last year. E-commerce giants have in turn sought to partner these tech companies and leverage their expertise in AI.

For example, merchants on China's second-largest e-commerce site JD are able to customize their storefront offerings based on each customer's shopping history and preferences, thanks to the site's partnership with Chinese tech company Tencent, the operator of WeChat.

Tencent Chief Operating Officer Ren Yuxin said the company can also offer merchants customized content marketing opportunities via WeChat Moments, which is similar to status updates on Facebook.

"Because if you offer customers exactly what they need at a better price, you start building a personal selling relationship with your customers, therefore boosting sales and deepening customer loyalty," said Ren.

Koubei, a local service platform that provides consumers with discount coupons, offered their merchants similar services that have helped boost their average sales by 20 percent during a three-month trial period that ended in November.

According to the project leader Liang Yong, Koubei enabled merchants to provide consumers with customized deals based on their purchasing preferences and average in-store spending. For example, the system would halve the price of a dish that a customer frequently orders as a form of incentive.

"By providing the most relevant discounts, it helps to draw more recurring customers and boost sales," Liang said.

Over at Alibaba, the world's largest online shopping platform by transaction volume, an "E-commerce Brain" system helps pinpoint people's needs and deliver relevant recommendations.

This is exemplified in the case of Chang Man, the mother of a six-month-old child.

After purchasing diapers on Taobao, one of Alibaba's e-commerce sites, Chang received promotional materials regarding maternity and child-care from Weitao, a micro-blogging service for brands, as well as Taobao Headlines, a sister service. She ended up buying more than just diapers that day.

"All those other items weren't on my shopping list but I found them to be quite relevant. The shopping app is like a mind-reader. It knows me better than I know myself," said Chang.

Alibaba also has an AI-powered virtual assistant called Ali Xiaomi, or Ali Assistant, to handle up to 95 percent of inquiries, said Zhao Binqiang, an algorithm expert at Alibaba who now leads the firm's digital marketing unit.

Zhao said that users can even request for the chatbot to help with their shopping needs. After receiving a text, voice description or image of a user's desired product, Ali Xiaomi can generate a list of options that can be filtered by brand, color and other characteristics.

"In the world of shopping, a picture is worth a thousand words. This is especially so in fashion because it's really hard to describe what you see or desire," said Pittman.

Such image recognition technology can be found in brick-and-mortar stores as well. At Danish apparel brand Vero Moda, the Magic Mirrors system allows customers to view themselves in the clothes they pick. It can also swap those clothes with other recommendations, removing the need to constantly shuttle between clothing racks and changing rooms.

"If you pick a pair of jeans, the machine will present five alternatives in 10 different colors. It can also recommend the most suitable tops, bags and other accessories to match your selection," said Liu Jian, the store chief at Vero Moda's outlet in Joy City, a mall in Shanghai.

Business owners and industry experts have said that it would take at least 10 more years before the impact of AI in retail can be considered truly phenomenal.

"AI can currently identify factors such as brand, size and color, but it is still unable to determine the difference between styles and read the very subtle meanings that are hidden between the lines," said Pittman.

"AI is influencing and changing the physical manifestation of retail stores. In the future, it's going to be a hybrid of physical showroom to get people inspired, and a large, virtual warehouse where the entire inventory is stored," he added.

http://www.ecns.cn/2017/12-29/286448.shtml

 

[TaiShang]

Knowing you better than you know yourself

2017-12-29 17:03

China Daily Editor: Zhang Shiyu

Experts say that the adoption of AI in China's retail sector is only going to become more prevalent, and consumers can look forward to a shopping experience that is highly customized to their needs and habits.

The term "artificial intelligence" is often associated with driverless cars and highly sophisticated machines that can outsmart even the best of human minds in complicated tasks like the strategy board game Go.

But the application of artificial intelligence (AI) goes far beyond these attention-grabbing examples. In China, for example, AI is playing a less visible albeit vital role in changing online shopping experiences by using algorithms to track, analyze and satisfy each consumer's specific needs.

Online shoppers these days can often find similar alternatives appearing on their screens after searching for a particular product. Virtual shop fronts could also display different products according to each customer's buying habits and preferences. All these are made possible with the application of AI.

"Simply put, AI technology takes a big data set about something, runs it through algorithms such as neural networks and then produces a model which can provide answers like a real human," said Wang Xin, a Shanghai-based partner covering the technology industry at global consultancy Roland Berger.

"The computer then learns to recognize patterns in the data and builds up a base of experiences that can be applied to solve problems in new situations," he added.

RJ Pittman, senior vice-president and chief product officer at eBay, likened AI to an experienced salesperson at a physical store. He also expects the application of such technology to become prevalent in online retail.

In a new report released in November, Roland Berger placed retail on par with finance, medicine and automobile as the industries in China that are most likely to benefit from the adoption of AI. The technology is also expected to help retailers in the country trim 420 billion yuan ($63.5 billion) in operating costs by 2030.

Within retail, e-commerce is the segment that is poised to reap the most benefits. After all, it is a data-rich industry that is well-stocked with information about consumers' browsing histories, purchasing preferences and credit records.

The application of AI in e-commerce is especially important in China because of how Chinese consumers shop, according to a report released in June by Boston Consulting Group.

Research has shown that unlike their Western counterparts who have a more straightforward search-and-buy approach, Chinese consumers have a penchant for exploring during the shopping process.

"Chinese consumers embark on a journey of exploration and discoverythey go online to see what's new or trending, and they interact with fellow buyerssometimes many times a day," according to Chris Biggs, a partner at BCG who leads the digital retail business.

As such, retailers rely on AI to analyze browsing behavior in order to determine the best customized promotions or content to display on each consumer's device.

China's tech giants have wasted little time in placing their chips on AI. According to consultancy Oliver Wyman, Chinese tech companies poured nearly 40 billion yuan into the research and development of this technology last year. E-commerce giants have in turn sought to partner these tech companies and leverage their expertise in AI.

For example, merchants on China's second-largest e-commerce site JD are able to customize their storefront offerings based on each customer's shopping history and preferences, thanks to the site's partnership with Chinese tech company Tencent, the operator of WeChat.

Tencent Chief Operating Officer Ren Yuxin said the company can also offer merchants customized content marketing opportunities via WeChat Moments, which is similar to status updates on Facebook.

"Because if you offer customers exactly what they need at a better price, you start building a personal selling relationship with your customers, therefore boosting sales and deepening customer loyalty," said Ren.

Koubei, a local service platform that provides consumers with discount coupons, offered their merchants similar services that have helped boost their average sales by 20 percent during a three-month trial period that ended in November.

According to the project leader Liang Yong, Koubei enabled merchants to provide consumers with customized deals based on their purchasing preferences and average in-store spending. For example, the system would halve the price of a dish that a customer frequently orders as a form of incentive.

"By providing the most relevant discounts, it helps to draw more recurring customers and boost sales," Liang said.

Over at Alibaba, the world's largest online shopping platform by transaction volume, an "E-commerce Brain" system helps pinpoint people's needs and deliver relevant recommendations.

This is exemplified in the case of Chang Man, the mother of a six-month-old child.

After purchasing diapers on Taobao, one of Alibaba's e-commerce sites, Chang received promotional materials regarding maternity and child-care from Weitao, a micro-blogging service for brands, as well as Taobao Headlines, a sister service. She ended up buying more than just diapers that day.

"All those other items weren't on my shopping list but I found them to be quite relevant. The shopping app is like a mind-reader. It knows me better than I know myself," said Chang.

Alibaba also has an AI-powered virtual assistant called Ali Xiaomi, or Ali Assistant, to handle up to 95 percent of inquiries, said Zhao Binqiang, an algorithm expert at Alibaba who now leads the firm's digital marketing unit.

Zhao said that users can even request for the chatbot to help with their shopping needs. After receiving a text, voice description or image of a user's desired product, Ali Xiaomi can generate a list of options that can be filtered by brand, color and other characteristics.

"In the world of shopping, a picture is worth a thousand words. This is especially so in fashion because it's really hard to describe what you see or desire," said Pittman.

Such image recognition technology can be found in brick-and-mortar stores as well. At Danish apparel brand Vero Moda, the Magic Mirrors system allows customers to view themselves in the clothes they pick. It can also swap those clothes with other recommendations, removing the need to constantly shuttle between clothing racks and changing rooms.

"If you pick a pair of jeans, the machine will present five alternatives in 10 different colors. It can also recommend the most suitable tops, bags and other accessories to match your selection," said Liu Jian, the store chief at Vero Moda's outlet in Joy City, a mall in Shanghai.

Business owners and industry experts have said that it would take at least 10 more years before the impact of AI in retail can be considered truly phenomenal.

"AI can currently identify factors such as brand, size and color, but it is still unable to determine the difference between styles and read the very subtle meanings that are hidden between the lines," said Pittman.

"AI is influencing and changing the physical manifestation of retail stores. In the future, it's going to be a hybrid of physical showroom to get people inspired, and a large, virtual warehouse where the entire inventory is stored," he added.

http://www.ecns.cn/2017/12-29/286448.shtml

China is blessed to have a very pragmatic and visionary government to enable and nurture a comprehensive internet ecosystem, including the AI and related technologies. For a late industrialized country, this is not an easy feat.

Consider the SP12 call center kingdom. Despite an alleged focus on IT and service industries, they cannot generate one third value in internet economy. What is even more wonderful is their absence in frontier technologies.

Of course, their failure is indirectly others' success, so, no complaint.

 

[TaiShang]

China is stronger in AI production and application than the US

Source:Global Times Published: 2017/12/28 21:48:39

Hu Xiaoming Photo: Courtesy of Alibaba Cloud

Editor's Note:

In 2017, artificial intelligence (AI) developed rapidly in China, and many Chinese AI companies were inclined to expand their international businesses. It is reported that Alibaba Cloud is going to launch a new data center in India. Global Times reporter Bu Yingna (GT) recently interviewed Hu Xiaoming (Hu), senior vice president of Alibaba Group and president of Alibaba Cloud, to gain more information on the status quo and future trend of AI development in China.

GT: The year 2017 welcomed the high tide of AI. With thousands of newly registered AI enterprises, the media at home and abroad have generally been worried about a possible bubble in the AI industry. Some analysts even hold the view that some related companies will collapse in the next few years. What do you think about this problem?

Hu: The AI industry does exhibit the bubble phenomenon, but not only in China. An AI bubble also exists in other places in the world, including the US. Since the AI industry is undergoing rapid development, the emergence of bubbles is normal. Without these bubbles, a healthier industry won't develop. However, what we need to be wary of is where we will be when the bubble eventually bursts. In my opinion, AI must return to realistic problem solutions to contribute to economic, industrial and agricultural development as well as social governance.

In the increasingly competitive AI industry environment, companies wanting to avoid failure must often ask themselves three questions: First, are we problem-oriented and scene-oriented, or, what complex problems can we solve? Second, do we have enough data to drive the idea? Third, is our computational power strong enough to push the data and algorithms to serve the purpose of problem solving? In my view, AI must be combined with specific industries and will be more meaningful when it is employed to solve practical problems.

GT: China and the US are considered the two largest players in the game of AI, while they are also undergoing fierce competition. In your opinion, what are the advantages of each side and who will be the possible leader in the future?

Hu: Both China and the US have their own advantages in terms of AI development. The US enjoys favorable conditions in its underlying infrastructure, semiconductor and software ecosystems. For example, the current competition is under the GPU system driven by Nvidia, and the programmable chips used by China are also mainly from Nvidia and Intel. China is weak in these areas and the software ecosystem still needs further construction.

However, China is stronger in production and application than the US, which can be reflected by data and practical solutions. China's Internet development is faster than that of the US, allowing China to rapidly accumulate massive data from multiple industries. This has given China a chance of surpassing the US at the AI application level. For instance, in urban management, in Paris, the original city benchmark, we can see the big city drainage gallery under the Notre-Dame de Paris. But today, as AI's power increases, rainwater and wastewater can be automatically separated and processed. Maybe we can take a new definition of the benchmark city, like the Xiongan New Area in Hebei Province.

Alibaba Cloud has become one of the world's top three cloud computing companies, and in the next few years we hope to catch up with and even overtake Amazon. I believe China is promising in AI development and it is highly possible that it can become the world leader in this industry. But the outcome also depends on how China fills the gaps in basic science during its next stage of development.

GT: It is reported that Alibaba Cloud will set up a new data center in India and attaches great importance to it. Why set up a data center there? What is the current situation of data centers in India?

Hu: No one is willing to give up the future of AI. We will be the third international cloud computing company to enter the Indian market and our center in Mumbai will start operations in January 2018. With numerous Chinese companies expanding their presence in India, Alibaba Cloud will provide them with convenient infrastructure so they can save costs in the process of localization. India's economy has been soaring. An increasing number of Indian companies are demanding cloud computing services, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. Alibaba Cloud has thousands of users in India. India's telecommunication giants (Tata and Reliance) are clients of ours.

GT: What is your view of the development of AI in China in the coming years?

Hu: Overall, I am very optimistic because the general environment is ideal. First and fortunately, China is one of the socially most stable and environmentally safest countries in the world, giving us opportunities for innovation and development. Second, the Chinese government is increasingly aware of the importance of the internet and is making every effort to promote the development of science and technology in various industries. After the 19th Party Congress, China clarified the role of science and technology in driving data and national development. In particular, the country has proposed the development of the big data industry. All of the above, for the entire science and technology sector as well as the combination of technology and industry, offer great benefits.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1082532.shtml

 

[TaiShang]

Jan 01, 2018 05:29 AM

Tech Firms Race to Enable Machines to See – and Understand

By Qu Yunxu, Ye Zhanqi, Wang Xiaoqing and Han Wei

Chinese startups have catapulted to the top of the next battlefield of artificial intelligence – computer vision, which is challenging the human eye in recognizing faces and objects.

The AI-powered technology uses deep-learning programs to enable machines to understand digital images and accurately recognize and analyze faces and objects. The cutting-edge AI niche has great potential for a wide range of applications, including in security surveillance, online financial services, health care, and self-driving vehicles.

China is already a global leader in AI, reflecting the country’s emphasis on mathematics education. Now it’s building off that know-how to expand the possibilities of computer vision and create commercially successful applications.

“If there are 100,000 people that can be called AI experts in the world, about 30,000 to 40,000 of them are Chinese,” said Huang Yan, a founding partner of CDH Investments, an investor in Chinese computer-vision developer SenseTime, one of the world's most valuable AI startups.

China already has 146 computer-vision companies, more than any other sub-sector in the country’s AI industry, according to a report issued by Tencent Research Institute in August. Those companies have raised a total of 14.3 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) from investors, or 23% of the total funds raised by all AI startups.

SenseTime, established in 2014, was valued at more that $2 billion in it latest funding round. It and other industry bellwethers Yitu Tech and Megvii Technology have raced for capital since mid-2017. Between May and December, the three companies raised a total of nearly $1 billion.

The takeoff of computer vision reflects the increasing accuracy of machines’ capacity to read images, making them capable of replacing humans in countless tasks, said Xu Li, co-founder and CEO of SenseTime.

The next step, Xu said, is putting the technology into commercial use.

‘Catching fugitives’

Computer vision is the next big thing in AI, whose potential burst into the public consciousness in March 2016 when Google’s AlphaGo beat its human rival at the ancient Chinese game of Go. AI has spread into traditional industries like legal services, investment and manufacturing. More recently, Apple showed the world the possibilities of computer vision with its new iPhone X, which allows users to unlock their mobile device via Face ID.

Surveillance is driving a flood of tech startups into computer-vision technology, reflecting the hunger for smarter surveillance systems, more accurate face-recognition technology and stronger data-analyzing capacities to quickly identify and locate people.

The market is huge, as city authorities pour billions of yuan to improve surveillance systems. Amid a push for AI development by the central government, the southern city of Fuzhou recently paid 800 million yuan for a facial recognition project and the financial hub of Shanghai has set aside tens of billions of yuan to upgrade the local police system’s technology, a source close to the public-security system told Caixin.

“Catching fugitives is the most important part where AI is applied in the public security system,” which requires strong capacity of facial recognition and image analysis, the source said.

“All of the most cutting-edge technology was initially used in the richest places. In the past, it was the military industry. And now it is the government-backed public security system,” said Yao Song, founder and CEO of AI startup DeePhi Tech.

Yao estimated that the total annual revenue of China’s public security market reached nearly 700 billion yuan in 2017.

AI-powered computer vision is propeling public security into a new era.

SenseTime, created by a research team led by Tang Xiaoou, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says it has developed algorithms that can recognize faces more accurately than human eyes, with its systems achieving 98.52% correct recognition compared with 97.53% by the human eye.

Yitu Tech, set up in 2012, has helped a local public security authority to improve the accuracy of locating a suspect from massive video footage of public surveillance cameras to over 85% from the previous 20%, according to company co-founder Lin Xichen.

Beijing-based Megvii Technology operates Face++, the world’s largest face-recognition technology platform, is identifying faces, text and images for more than 300,000 companies and individuals around the world.

The foray of computer-vision tech startups is shaking up a market that has been dominated for more than a decade by traditional surveillance system giants, such Hikvision Digital Technology Co. and Dahua Technology Co.

Yitu’s Lin said the rise of AI has prompted the government to see the value of equipping surveillance cameras with facial recognition technology, bringing surveillance camera makers and tech startups together.

Surveillance system giants like Hikvision have also made their own AI push by investing in computer vision algorithms, although they have been unable to catch up to tech startups in term of accuracy, according to Lin.

But the traditional giants’ well-established business networks and access to resources in the government-dominated security industry will make it difficult for AI startups to compete, said an industry analyst.

As newcomers, tech firms are spending heavily to expand their sales network to win market share. Companies like Yitu and Megvii have started to develop and promote their own equipment, such as surveillance and access-control systems, to directly compete with traditional giants.

Companies like SenseTime and DeePhi are adopting a different strategy by working with already established equipment makers. SenseTime has set up partnership with seven of the country’s top 10 surveillance system developers, according to Xu.

Hikvision and Dahua have developed complete security systems, and SenseTime is looking at offering added value from AI technology, Xu said.

As the market evolves, it is bringing new opportunities. A source close to public-security authorities told Caixin that China’s public-security system is working to better integrate databases that are currently under different departments’ oversight, such as records on vehicle registration and traffic infractions, residents’ identity, and telecom use. The integration will undoubtedly boost the capacity of surveillance system and create new room for business growth.

‘A tough endurance race’

While most computer-vision startups focus on facial recognition and public security, some experts said there are many other potential business opportunities worth exploring.

“Fledging computer-vision firms are too concentrated on public security and the competition is too fierce,” said Hua Xiansheng, head of Alibaba Group’s computer-vision team.

The biggest players have started to expand their territory beyond public security to broader sectors like online financial services, helping internet banking services verify customers’ identities through online interviews. Companies are also searching for new niche markets. SenseTime has focused on facial recognition capacity for mobile phones, while Megvii and Yitu have each developed opportunities in industrial automation and medical services.

As the possibilities for computer vision expand, it appears inevitable that tech startups will find themselves up against deep-pocket internet giants like Alibaba and Tencent Holdings, which are gearing up their efforts in the technology to supplement their massive online services.

Alibaba has developed an image-search service helping shoppers to locate items they want to buy on its e-commerce sites. Alibaba is also integrating computer vision capacities with its cloud computing service to develop AI-powered city management system in several cities, according to Hua.

Tencent’s computer vision unit has set up footholds in the public security, financial service and medical care sectors.

The battle in computer vision is really just getting underway. Technology development, data access, fundraising and commercialization are all key factors that will determine the fate of companies, analysts said.

“If internet is revolution, AI is innovation. It will be a tough endurance race for all parties to gradually seek to replace manpower with (their services),” Huang said.

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2018-0...machines-to-see-and-understand-101191871.html

Population divident?

 

[cirr]

Interesting time ahead for AI

 

[cirr]

AI meets clothing retail in 'magic mirror'

2018-01-02 09:13 China DailyEditor: Li Yan

The application of artificial intelligence has gone far beyond driverless cars or futuristic robotics that outsmart men in the strategy board game Go.

In China, AI is playing a vital role in changing shopping experiences by using algorithms to track, analyze and satisfy each consumer's specific needs.

In the latest instance, shoppers in Guangdong province are among the first group to experience smart clothing recommendation powered by an intelligent fitting room in apparel stores such as Jack & Jones and Vero Moda.

Through facial recognition technologies, a "magic mirror" system allows customers to immediately view themselves in the clothes they pick, according to Bestseller A/S, the company behind the brands.

By factoring in gender, age, climate and other predilections, it can also swap those clothes with other recommendations, removing the need to constantly shuttle between clothing racks and changing rooms.

To enjoy the perks of such services, customers must first activate the brands' virtual membership card via WeChat, China's most popular chat-to-payment app, and allow for facial payment.

China's tech giants have wasted little time in placing their chips on AI-backed retail.

During the annual Nov 11 shopping festival, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd supported Shiseido to install an electronic mirror that allowed customers to try lipsticks virtually and complete the purchase with a few taps on the screen.

Designer apparel shop Alain de has introduced such smart mirrors since October and responses have been brisk, according to Chen Huaiyu, a store chief at the brand's outlet in Joy City, a mall in Shanghai.

"If you pick a pair of jeans, the machine will present five alternatives in 10 different colors," she said. "It can also recommend the most suitable tops, bags and other accessories to go along (with) your selection, effectively boosting our sales."

Smart recommendations and virtual fitting rooms are set to be a huge business reshaping the retail sector, said Huang Zhongsheng, co-founder and CEO of Haomaiyi, which provides such technology for Alibaba's Tmall site.

http://www.ecns.cn/business/2018/01-02/286609.shtml

 

[cirr]

China's AI-powered ammunitions robot force to help triple production of next-gen bombs and weapons

One-third of China's ammunition factories have reportedly begun to replace workers with "smart machines".

By India Ashok

January 2, 2018 06:11 GMT

Over the past few years, China has launched an ambitious plan to modernise its military and defence by developing new missiles, bombers and warships - Representational image iStock

China's ammunition factories will soon reportedly be run by artificial intelligence (AI)-powered robots, which could help Beijing triple its bombs and weapons production within the next decade. China has begun replacing factory workers with robots in efforts to overcome staff shortage issues and the risks associated with such work.

However, in addition to safely and effectively manufacturing weapons, China's new ammunitions robot force could also be used to develop next-generation bombs and warheads to boost the country's military and defence. Specially designed robots could reportedly be used to develop explosives, including bombs and rockets, as well as build more sophisticated weapons, such as bombs with computer chips embedded in them and sensors capable of carrying out precision strikes.

According to Xu Zhigang, lead scientist with China's "high-level weapon system intelligent manufacturing programme", robots could also soon be used to develop sensitive photoelectric spy devices as well as develop massive high-powered diesel engines for China's air force and military vehicles.

Xu told the South China Morning Post that one-third of China's ammunition factories have already begun to replace workers with "smart machines". Xu predicts that once all of China's ammunitions factories have been upgraded within the next 10 years, it will boost weapons production by around 100 to 200%.

China successfully tests new DF-17 hypersonic missile that could reshape nuclear weapons tech

Already, one bomb assembly line in the country, which once employed over 100 workers, is now almost entirely run by robots, with only three human workers reportedly overseeing the production. However, contrary to the idea of robots costing jobs, according to experts, the move could allow for the young Chinese workforce to be spared the risks of weapons production work.

"The robots can free workers from risky, repetitive jobs in the bomb-making process," Professor Huang Dexian from Tsinghua University told the South China Morning Post. "It will create new jobs such as control optimisation, hardware maintenance and technical upgrades. It will give us a stronger, healthier, happier defence workforce."

Over the past few years, China has launched an ambitious plan to modernise its military and defence by developing new missiles, bombers and warships. Most recently, Beijing tested a new hypersonic missile – named DF-17 – which is one among seven other hypersonic weapons China has tested in the past few years, which could reshape weapons technology.

http://www.newsweek.com/china-robots-triple-bomb-ammunition-production-capacity-2028-767625

 

[cirr]

China major AI chipmakers maintain parterships with TSMC

Martin Yao, Taipei; Willis Ke, DIGITIMES

Tuesday 2 January 2018

China's major AI chipmakers, including HiSilicon, Cambricon Technologies, Horizon Robotics and DeePhi Tech, are expected to reap rich harvests in 2018 from their launch of various AI (artificial intelligence) chipsets, mostly ASICs and NPU (neural processing unit) chips, for a variety of applications in the second half of 2017. They have all contracted Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for chip fabrication, and TSMC's orders for AI chip foundry services are expected to grow exponentially in 2018 along with volume shipments of the AI chips by the China makers, according to industry sources.

Huawei's HiSilicon chip design arm worked out the Kirin 970 as the new flagship SoCwith built-in AI computing capabilities and it was adopted in Huawei's Mate 10 and M10 Pro smartphone models launched in mid-October 2017. Official production of the Kirin 970 chips kicked off in mid-2017 using TSMC's 10nm FinFET process at a monthly capacity of 4,000 pieces of 12-inch wafers, placing Huawei among TSMC's top-5 customers.

Huawei, having newly formed a strategic alliance with Baidu SkyDrive, will move to seek further breakthroughs in the capabilities of AI chips for smartphones. While aiming to capture a 40% share of the China smartphone market and advance to the world's No. 1 smartphone brand, Huawei requires stable and sufficient supply of AI chips and even has to seek second supply sources other than TSMC, the sources said.

World's first AI chip unicorn

As the world's first AI chip unicorn after raising US$100 million in series A round funding, Cambricon Technologies released three new AI processor IPs in November 2017: the Cambricon-1H8 for lower consumption computer vision application, the higher-end Cambricon-1H16 for more general-purpose applications, and the Cambricon-1M autonomous driving applications.

While licensing AI processor IPs to end device vendors, Cambricon is selling chips to those in the cloud market. The company has newly debuted MLU100 AI chips to support inference application by datacenters and small- to medium-size servers, and MLU200 chips to support training applications at AI R&D centers of enterprises. These two AI chips will be manufactured using TSMC's 16nm process.

Pioneering the development of AI chips for autonomous driving solutions, Horizon Robotics officially rolled out two Gauss-based AI processors, 1.0 Journey and 1.0 Sunrise, in December 2017 after contracting TSMC to start chip fabrication in August, with the former for image processing and the latter supporting smart city applications with low power consumption. The company plans to introduce Bernoulli-based processor in 2018 and Bayes-based processor in 2019 with higher-performance AI chips.

Horizon has recently raised around US$100 million in series A+ financing led by Intel Capital to support its development of a prototype driverless car and driving technology innovations. The company aims to have its AI chips applied to more than 100 million IoT (Internet of Things) devices by 2020 before realizing the goal as a leading supplier of autonomous driving chipset solutions by 2025.

DeePhi Tech plans to debut two system chipsets in 2018, one for AI cloud services and the other for AI terminal devices applications, with the latter to adopt the firm's in-house-developed Aristotle architecture and manufactured using TSMC's 28nm process.

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20180102PD205.html

 

[cirr]

Beijing to build technology park for developing AI

2018-01-03 15:02 Xinhua Editor: Mo Hong'e

A technology park dedicated to developing artificial intelligence (AI) will be built in Beijing in five years, authorities said.

The park will be situated in suburban Mentougou district in western Beijing, covering 54.87 hectares, Beijing News reported, citing a plan released by Mentougou authorities Tuesday.

With an estimated investment of 13.8 billion yuan (about 2.1 billion U.S. dollars), the park is expected to attract about 400 enterprises, with an estimated annual output value of about 50 billion yuan (about 7.7 billion U.S. dollars).

The park will focus on developing areas such as super high-speed big data, cloud computing, biometric identification and deep learning. Its technological infrastructure includes a fifth generation mobile network, a super computer and cloud services.

The developer of the park, a company of Zhongguancun Development Group, will seek partnership with Chinese and overseas universities, research institutes and large companies to establish various research centers in the park, including a national-level artificial intelligence lab.

http://www.ecns.cn/2018/01-03/286808.shtml

 

[TaiShang]

Jan 01, 2018 05:29 AM

Tech Firms Race to Enable Machines to See – and Understand
By Qu Yunxu, Ye Zhanqi, Wang Xiaoqing and Han Wei

Chinese startups have catapulted to the top of the next battlefield of artificial intelligence – computer vision, which is challenging the human eye in recognizing faces and objects.

The AI-powered technology uses deep-learning programs to enable machines to understand digital images and accurately recognize and analyze faces and objects. The cutting-edge AI niche has great potential for a wide range of applications, including in security surveillance, online financial services, health care, and self-driving vehicles.

China is already a global leader in AI, reflecting the country’s emphasis on mathematics education. Now it’s building off that know-how to expand the possibilities of computer vision and create commercially successful applications.

“If there are 100,000 people that can be called AI experts in the world, about 30,000 to 40,000 of them are Chinese,” said Huang Yan, a founding partner of CDH Investments, an investor in Chinese computer-vision developer SenseTime, one of the world's most valuable AI startups.

China already has 146 computer-vision companies, more than any other sub-sector in the country’s AI industry, according to a report issued by Tencent Research Institute in August. Those companies have raised a total of 14.3 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) from investors, or 23% of the total funds raised by all AI startups.

SenseTime, established in 2014, was valued at more that $2 billion in it latest funding round. It and other industry bellwethers Yitu Tech and Megvii Technology have raced for capital since mid-2017. Between May and December, the three companies raised a total of nearly $1 billion.

The takeoff of computer vision reflects the increasing accuracy of machines’ capacity to read images, making them capable of replacing humans in countless tasks, said Xu Li, co-founder and CEO of SenseTime.

The next step, Xu said, is putting the technology into commercial use.

‘Catching fugitives’

Computer vision is the next big thing in AI, whose potential burst into the public consciousness in March 2016 when Google’s AlphaGo beat its human rival at the ancient Chinese game of Go. AI has spread into traditional industries like legal services, investment and manufacturing. More recently, Apple showed the world the possibilities of computer vision with its new iPhone X, which allows users to unlock their mobile device via Face ID.

Surveillance is driving a flood of tech startups into computer-vision technology, reflecting the hunger for smarter surveillance systems, more accurate face-recognition technology and stronger data-analyzing capacities to quickly identify and locate people.

The market is huge, as city authorities pour billions of yuan to improve surveillance systems. Amid a push for AI development by the central government, the southern city of Fuzhou recently paid 800 million yuan for a facial recognition project and the financial hub of Shanghai has set aside tens of billions of yuan to upgrade the local police system’s technology, a source close to the public-security system told Caixin.

“Catching fugitives is the most important part where AI is applied in the public security system,” which requires strong capacity of facial recognition and image analysis, the source said.

“All of the most cutting-edge technology was initially used in the richest places. In the past, it was the military industry. And now it is the government-backed public security system,” said Yao Song, founder and CEO of AI startup DeePhi Tech.

Yao estimated that the total annual revenue of China’s public security market reached nearly 700 billion yuan in 2017.

AI-powered computer vision is propeling public security into a new era.

SenseTime, created by a research team led by Tang Xiaoou, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says it has developed algorithms that can recognize faces more accurately than human eyes, with its systems achieving 98.52% correct recognition compared with 97.53% by the human eye.

Yitu Tech, set up in 2012, has helped a local public security authority to improve the accuracy of locating a suspect from massive video footage of public surveillance cameras to over 85% from the previous 20%, according to company co-founder Lin Xichen.

Beijing-based Megvii Technology operates Face++, the world’s largest face-recognition technology platform, is identifying faces, text and images for more than 300,000 companies and individuals around the world.

The foray of computer-vision tech startups is shaking up a market that has been dominated for more than a decade by traditional surveillance system giants, such Hikvision Digital Technology Co. and Dahua Technology Co.

Yitu’s Lin said the rise of AI has prompted the government to see the value of equipping surveillance cameras with facial recognition technology, bringing surveillance camera makers and tech startups together.

Surveillance system giants like Hikvision have also made their own AI push by investing in computer vision algorithms, although they have been unable to catch up to tech startups in term of accuracy, according to Lin.

But the traditional giants’ well-established business networks and access to resources in the government-dominated security industry will make it difficult for AI startups to compete, said an industry analyst.

As newcomers, tech firms are spending heavily to expand their sales network to win market share. Companies like Yitu and Megvii have started to develop and promote their own equipment, such as surveillance and access-control systems, to directly compete with traditional giants.

Companies like SenseTime and DeePhi are adopting a different strategy by working with already established equipment makers. SenseTime has set up partnership with seven of the country’s top 10 surveillance system developers, according to Xu.

Hikvision and Dahua have developed complete security systems, and SenseTime is looking at offering added value from AI technology, Xu said.

As the market evolves, it is bringing new opportunities. A source close to public-security authorities told Caixin that China’s public-security system is working to better integrate databases that are currently under different departments’ oversight, such as records on vehicle registration and traffic infractions, residents’ identity, and telecom use. The integration will undoubtedly boost the capacity of surveillance system and create new room for business growth.

‘A tough endurance race’

While most computer-vision startups focus on facial recognition and public security, some experts said there are many other potential business opportunities worth exploring.

“Fledging computer-vision firms are too concentrated on public security and the competition is too fierce,” said Hua Xiansheng, head of Alibaba Group’s computer-vision team.

The biggest players have started to expand their territory beyond public security to broader sectors like online financial services, helping internet banking services verify customers’ identities through online interviews. Companies are also searching for new niche markets. SenseTime has focused on facial recognition capacity for mobile phones, while Megvii and Yitu have each developed opportunities in industrial automation and medical services.

As the possibilities for computer vision expand, it appears inevitable that tech startups will find themselves up against deep-pocket internet giants like Alibaba and Tencent Holdings, which are gearing up their efforts in the technology to supplement their massive online services.

Alibaba has developed an image-search service helping shoppers to locate items they want to buy on its e-commerce sites. Alibaba is also integrating computer vision capacities with its cloud computing service to develop AI-powered city management system in several cities, according to Hua.

Tencent’s computer vision unit has set up footholds in the public security, financial service and medical care sectors.

The battle in computer vision is really just getting underway. Technology development, data access, fundraising and commercialization are all key factors that will determine the fate of companies, analysts said.

“If internet is revolution, AI is innovation. It will be a tough endurance race for all parties to gradually seek to replace manpower with (their services),” Huang said.

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2018-0...machines-to-see-and-understand-101191871.html

 

[cirr]

Jan 01, 2018 05:29 AM

Tech Firms Race to Enable Machines to See – and Understand
By Qu Yunxu, Ye Zhanqi, Wang Xiaoqing and Han Wei

Chinese startups have catapulted to the top of the next battlefield of artificial intelligence – computer vision, which is challenging the human eye in recognizing faces and objects.

The AI-powered technology uses deep-learning programs to enable machines to understand digital images and accurately recognize and analyze faces and objects. The cutting-edge AI niche has great potential for a wide range of applications, including in security surveillance, online financial services, health care, and self-driving vehicles.

China is already a global leader in AI, reflecting the country’s emphasis on mathematics education. Now it’s building off that know-how to expand the possibilities of computer vision and create commercially successful applications.

“If there are 100,000 people that can be called AI experts in the world, about 30,000 to 40,000 of them are Chinese,” said Huang Yan, a founding partner of CDH Investments, an investor in Chinese computer-vision developer SenseTime, one of the world's most valuable AI startups.

China already has 146 computer-vision companies, more than any other sub-sector in the country’s AI industry, according to a report issued by Tencent Research Institute in August. Those companies have raised a total of 14.3 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) from investors, or 23% of the total funds raised by all AI startups.

SenseTime, established in 2014, was valued at more that $2 billion in it latest funding round. It and other industry bellwethers Yitu Tech and Megvii Technology have raced for capital since mid-2017. Between May and December, the three companies raised a total of nearly $1 billion.

The takeoff of computer vision reflects the increasing accuracy of machines’ capacity to read images, making them capable of replacing humans in countless tasks, said Xu Li, co-founder and CEO of SenseTime.

The next step, Xu said, is putting the technology into commercial use.

‘Catching fugitives’

Computer vision is the next big thing in AI, whose potential burst into the public consciousness in March 2016 when Google’s AlphaGo beat its human rival at the ancient Chinese game of Go. AI has spread into traditional industries like legal services, investment and manufacturing. More recently, Apple showed the world the possibilities of computer vision with its new iPhone X, which allows users to unlock their mobile device via Face ID.

Surveillance is driving a flood of tech startups into computer-vision technology, reflecting the hunger for smarter surveillance systems, more accurate face-recognition technology and stronger data-analyzing capacities to quickly identify and locate people.

The market is huge, as city authorities pour billions of yuan to improve surveillance systems. Amid a push for AI development by the central government, the southern city of Fuzhou recently paid 800 million yuan for a facial recognition project and the financial hub of Shanghai has set aside tens of billions of yuan to upgrade the local police system’s technology, a source close to the public-security system told Caixin.

“Catching fugitives is the most important part where AI is applied in the public security system,” which requires strong capacity of facial recognition and image analysis, the source said.

“All of the most cutting-edge technology was initially used in the richest places. In the past, it was the military industry. And now it is the government-backed public security system,” said Yao Song, founder and CEO of AI startup DeePhi Tech.

Yao estimated that the total annual revenue of China’s public security market reached nearly 700 billion yuan in 2017.

AI-powered computer vision is propeling public security into a new era.

SenseTime, created by a research team led by Tang Xiaoou, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says it has developed algorithms that can recognize faces more accurately than human eyes, with its systems achieving 98.52% correct recognition compared with 97.53% by the human eye.

Yitu Tech, set up in 2012, has helped a local public security authority to improve the accuracy of locating a suspect from massive video footage of public surveillance cameras to over 85% from the previous 20%, according to company co-founder Lin Xichen.

Beijing-based Megvii Technology operates Face++, the world’s largest face-recognition technology platform, is identifying faces, text and images for more than 300,000 companies and individuals around the world.

The foray of computer-vision tech startups is shaking up a market that has been dominated for more than a decade by traditional surveillance system giants, such Hikvision Digital Technology Co. and Dahua Technology Co.

Yitu’s Lin said the rise of AI has prompted the government to see the value of equipping surveillance cameras with facial recognition technology, bringing surveillance camera makers and tech startups together.

Surveillance system giants like Hikvision have also made their own AI push by investing in computer vision algorithms, although they have been unable to catch up to tech startups in term of accuracy, according to Lin.

But the traditional giants’ well-established business networks and access to resources in the government-dominated security industry will make it difficult for AI startups to compete, said an industry analyst.

As newcomers, tech firms are spending heavily to expand their sales network to win market share. Companies like Yitu and Megvii have started to develop and promote their own equipment, such as surveillance and access-control systems, to directly compete with traditional giants.

Companies like SenseTime and DeePhi are adopting a different strategy by working with already established equipment makers. SenseTime has set up partnership with seven of the country’s top 10 surveillance system developers, according to Xu.

Hikvision and Dahua have developed complete security systems, and SenseTime is looking at offering added value from AI technology, Xu said.

As the market evolves, it is bringing new opportunities. A source close to public-security authorities told Caixin that China’s public-security system is working to better integrate databases that are currently under different departments’ oversight, such as records on vehicle registration and traffic infractions, residents’ identity, and telecom use. The integration will undoubtedly boost the capacity of surveillance system and create new room for business growth.

‘A tough endurance race’

While most computer-vision startups focus on facial recognition and public security, some experts said there are many other potential business opportunities worth exploring.

“Fledging computer-vision firms are too concentrated on public security and the competition is too fierce,” said Hua Xiansheng, head of Alibaba Group’s computer-vision team.

The biggest players have started to expand their territory beyond public security to broader sectors like online financial services, helping internet banking services verify customers’ identities through online interviews. Companies are also searching for new niche markets. SenseTime has focused on facial recognition capacity for mobile phones, while Megvii and Yitu have each developed opportunities in industrial automation and medical services.

As the possibilities for computer vision expand, it appears inevitable that tech startups will find themselves up against deep-pocket internet giants like Alibaba and Tencent Holdings, which are gearing up their efforts in the technology to supplement their massive online services.

Alibaba has developed an image-search service helping shoppers to locate items they want to buy on its e-commerce sites. Alibaba is also integrating computer vision capacities with its cloud computing service to develop AI-powered city management system in several cities, according to Hua.

Tencent’s computer vision unit has set up footholds in the public security, financial service and medical care sectors.

The battle in computer vision is really just getting underway. Technology development, data access, fundraising and commercialization are all key factors that will determine the fate of companies, analysts said.

“If internet is revolution, AI is innovation. It will be a tough endurance race for all parties to gradually seek to replace manpower with (their services),” Huang said.

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2018-0...machines-to-see-and-understand-101191871.html

@Bussard Ramjet

 

[meis]

Chinese netizens spot AI books on president Xi Jinping’s bookshelf

Every year, China’s president Xi Jinping delivers a New Year’s Eve address, outlining the country’s plans for the months ahead. But Chinese netizens don’t just pay attention to his words; they also scour the bookshelves behind Xi, analyzing the titles and authors found there to try and gain some insight into his mind. And the big additions this year? Well, two new texts on artificial intelligence — a topic of huge interest for the Chinese government.

Xi is said to be a voracious reader, and other books spotted on his shelf this year included a growing collection of Western classics (from War and Peace and The Old Man and the Sea to The Odyssey and Les Misérables), economic texts like Money Changes Everything by William N. Goetzmann and Michele Wucker’s The Grey Rhino, and numerous titles on Chinese history and military strategy.

The intended message these books send is pretty clear — including the ones on AI. China has identified artificial intelligence as the key technology it needs for improving its economy and military, and is pouring money and resources into the field. US experts are worried that America will be left behind in the global AI race, especially as President Trump moves to cut funding for basic research and restrict immigration, reducing the pool of talent the US can drawn from.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/3/16844364/china-ai-xi-jinping-new-years-speech-books

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1557879087638539

 

[TaiShang]

Honda in tie-up with internet giant
China Daily, January 4, 2018

Japan's Honda Motor Co said it is partnering with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd to develop a smart and internet-connected system, one of the latest examples of closer cooperation between carmakers and tech companies to herald the age of smart mobility.

A Honda China representative said the carmaker is working with AutoNavi, the e-commerce giant's map business unit, to develop an on-board system allowing drivers to make reservations using maps and pay via Alibaba's payment tool Alipay.

Honda and AutoNavi have partnered since 2015 on car-navigation systems. Alipay had some 520 million users by the end of 2017, and 82 percent of them used the platform at least once in the year, according to the mobile payment giant's annual report.

Honda said the system, which is designed to deliver a better connected experience, will be unveiled soon, but it did not disclose whether the system would be available in cars sold globally or only in China, where its car sales are rocketing.

In the first 11 months of 2017, Honda and its two Chinese joint ventures sold 1.3 million cars, an increase of 116 percent year-on-year.

The Honda-Alibaba partnership comes as tech companies are playing a bigger role in the automotive sector, thanks to artificial intelligence, autonomous driving and other cutting-edge developments.

In December 2017, Honda announced a five-year joint research and development plan with China-based artificial intelligence startup Sense-Time Group to explore autonomous driving. The two also plan to expand robotics research and development.

In the same month, BMW AG and Alibaba announced that they would develop a range of "digitalized experiences for the car and home" for all new BMW models sold in China from the first half of 2018.

Their partnership came days after Ford Motor Co signed a deal with Alibaba to explore opportunities in internet-connected cars, artificial intelligence, mobile services and digital marketing.

Ford is also a founding member of the Apollo program, an autonomous driving platform initiated by Baidu Inc, China's largest search engine operator.

The platform has attracted more than 70 Chinese and international companies, including Ford and Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, Baidu said in its third quarter report released in October 2017.

"The tech world has many innovations to offer us, so it (the future of mobility) will be a marriage of technology companies and automakers," Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford told China Daily.

http://www.china.org.cn/business/2018-01/04/content_50189436.htm

***

It is great that Honda cooperates with Alibaba and other China companies to create a better car software ecosystem. Previously, they used to with with apple (for media interface) and it sucked big time.

 

[TaiShang]

AI technologies become part of everyday life in China
China Plus, January 5, 2018

Artificial intelligence, or AI, provides machines with human-like cognitive abilities that enable them to solve complex problems.

The world's technology giants have started to carve out their own priorities for AI development and have started fiercely competing in this new market.

In China, AI technologies that not long ago would have looked like science fiction are becoming part of everyday life, as well as a major force for economic growth.

AI technology is developing rapidly in China. From small startups to Internet giants, an increasing number of tech firms are gearing up for big successes in the field.

In a logistics center in Guangdong belonging to JD.com, one of China's biggest online retailers, 300 robots work non-stop on a 12 hundred square meter platform sorting parcels for delivery.

These robots run automatically, transferring goods from storage shelves to packing areas.

Yang Shaopeng, a staff member working at the center, says the robots can sort up to 12 thousand parcels per hour, which is four times faster than human sorters.

"We have a control center behind all the robots. And there are QR codes on the ground. By reading these codes, robots can know their specific location. Meanwhile the controlling system can give orders to robots to tell them which path they should go next," Yang said.

As AI technology continues to mature, more and more industries are going through an automation revolution.

Cloud computing, big data, and the Internet of Things have been thriving, with new products and services constantly springing up.

Accenture is a world leading global provider of information technology consulting services.

Chen Xiaobing, the president of Accenture China, says he is very optimistic about AI development in China.

"Accenture lately released a report on how AI will boost Chinese economic growth in the future. It's estimated that in 2035 AI will generate 7 trillion dollars for Chinese economy. In the research of the past 20 years we discovered that the advantage brought by adequate labor supply and the market capacity for traditional investment are fading, while AI, which combines real economy with labor as well as capital is growing. This method of development will surge in the next few years," Chen said.

YITU is a Chinese tech firm focused on AI research and development.

At its headquarters, staff don't need to clock in and out, as the company developed facial recognition scanners to automatically record their arrival and departure times.

Facial recognition technology like this is being used in service industries including security, medicine, and banking.

For example, in Shanghai, facial recognition technology has enabled people to withdraw money from an ATM just by showing up in front of the machines.

Sha Yang is a department director at YITU Tech.

"To some extent we are changing these industries. I believe with the universal utilization of AI technology, more changes will be seen in different industries," Sha said.

In addition to achievements in AI software, Chinese AI research teams have also made breakthroughs in new hardware.

Last November, a Shenzhen based tech company launched three new AI chips.

Similar to the famous Alfa Go, the chips are able to develop learning capabilities in such areas as smart driving, language processing, and image and voice recognition.

Chen Tianshi is the chief executive of the company.

"I always compare the traditional processor to a Swiss Army Knife. It can do a lot of different things but is not good at one particular thing. Therefore what we do is give AI ability in a special area and let it solve special problems," Chen said.

China's government wants its homegrown AI businesses to be ready to take on global rivals by the year 2020.

A government document released in December calls for expanding basic research and the application of AI technology in areas ranging from smart automobiles to robots and drones.

http://www.china.org.cn/business/2018-01/05/content_50191933.htm

Population divident?

 

[cirr]

Facial recognition used in marriage registration in Chongqing

2018-01-07 16:02 Xinhua Editor: Huang Mingrui

Chongqing authorities have introduced facial recognition technology for marriage registration to make the procedure easier and shorter.

The Marriage, Adoption Registration Management Center of Chongqing said the new system was launched in January. Marriage registration between Chinese citizens and foreigners can also use the system.

Based on Chinese law, registrars must check a person's ID and household registration certificates before awarding them a marriage certificate.

The facial recognition technology can not only shorten the examination time, but also improve its accuracy. The facial recognition system can quickly take a photo and compare the face with information from other documents and the database of the public security bureau.

The quickest time to complete an examination is just 0.3 second. Normally, it takes around 10 minutes to check people's documents.

The new system can also deal with cases in which applicants have had plastic surgery or for twins who can be differentiated via fingerprints, which were difficult for previous artificial recognition systems.

It would be an efficient way to crack down on crimes in which suspects try to use the identities of others to obtain marriage certificates.

http://www.ecns.cn/business/2018/01-07/287319.shtml