China's Race for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology

[TaiShang]

China grows fast in AI research: report

(People's Daily Online) 10:00, January 15, 2019

An AI robot displayed during the inaugural China International Import Expo (CIIE) attracted much attention from many female visitors. The robot can do a makeup for someone in 5 minutes. (Photo/Chinanews.com)

China's share of publications on global AI research has grown by 13 percent annually between 2013 and 2017, according to a report by Dutch publisher and analytics company Elsevier, Science and Technology Daily reported on Jan. 13.

The report found that China’s publications on AI ranked first in the world in 2017, after its number of AI publications overtook the United States in 2004. If this momentum continues, the country will pass Europe in AI research within four years.

In recent years, conference papers made up 44 percent of China’s overall AI publications, the reported indicated. The study on global AI trends also found that China is attracting more academic talents than it is losing.

With a focus on the three largest countries and regions contributing to the field of AI - China, the US, and Europe, the report showed that China’s AI research is more regional than global, and suffers from a low level of international cooperation and slow fluidity of researchers.

Chinese research institutes’ cooperation with global technology giants such as Google, Amazon, Apple, IBM, and Microsoft is currently insufficient, said Sun Zhenan, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Automation.

The report pointed out that China’s AI research, which focuses on computer vision, is yet to publish papers on natural language processing and knowledge representation.

Farsighted Chinese companies such as Huawei, Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent have started to invest in basic AI research, Sun said, noting that it will take further efforts for them to catch up with their international peers.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/0115/c90000-9537813.html

 

[Han Patriot]

No longer lost in translation: Chinese tech firm wins CES Innovation Prize for AI translator
New China TV
Published on Jan 14, 2019

#CES2019 Innovation Award for its newly upgraded iFLYTEK Translator 2.0. It supports translations between Chinese and more than 50 other languages. Find out more.

Hey CES award man...that's a big recognition of Chinese technology.

 

[JSCh]

Voice authorization technology to be used widely with high accuracy rate
Zhu Shenshen
17:53 UTC+8, 2019-01-18

The accuracy rate of a new VPR or Voiceprint Recognition technology has surpassed 99 percent, which makes it ready for commercial use on various industries, Shanghai Daily learned today.

The technology, which allows people to access accounts by voice, is developed by Shanghai-based Ping An Good Doctor and Beijing-based startup Unisound. It’s now used in some applications especially those targeting aged people, who are not familiar with other authorization technologies.

With the new VPR technology, the authorization process becomes safer and easier for most users. Previously, the technology has also been used in more than 200 million smartphones, said Unisound.

The VPR technology is now used in its application, which is suitable for many aged people, said Ping An Good Doctor with more than 200 million register users.

Overseas firms including IBM, Microsoft and AT&T have created a unified standard for voice recognition in the English language. A similar standard and technology for Chinese language is needed, according to industry officials.

In December of 2017, the both sides have established a join venture on VPR technology and related standard.

HK-listed Ping An Good Doctor surged 9.28 percent to close at 35.9 Hong Kong dollars (US$5.28), compared with a 1.25 percent gain of the Hang Seng Index today.

The technology is expected to be used in healthcare, finance, customer service and logistics industries, according to Unisound.

Source: SHINE Editor: Wang Yanlin

 

[TaiShang]

Xiaomi launched the Machine Island AI Point Pen, a new reading pen

The large Chinese technology company, Xiaomi, decided to introduce its users a new product under the Youpin crowdfunding platform, who used to have the name Mijia, and this is the 304th product that comes out of this technological giant’s platform. This new product is called Machine Island AI Point Pen, but instead of being a pen used to write, it has the function of interpreting words.

As such, this product was made by third parties, because it was manufactured by Nanjing Machine Island Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd.

This is the new reading pen Machine Island AI Point Pen

The new Machine Island AI Point Pen does not have the function of writing, but works as a braille reader, in the sense that it reads the words as the pen is slid over a book. That being said, it is possible that the most spectacular feature that this product has is the integration of the intelligent assistant Xiao AI. On the other hand, this device also functions as a story machine, a learning machine, and a translator, because it can provide translations from Chinese to English and vice versa.

This device can be synchronized with the application made by Mijia to collect useful data, as well as to promote the interest and learning process of the person who is using it. It comes with Wifi 802.711 b/g/n, which provides unlimited download capacity, along with an automatic content update.

The Machine Island AI Point Pen is specially designed to help the development of the child in five basic skills, which are self-care, social, psychological, cognitive and logical thinking. Its database contains 20 subtopics, in addition to 1200 knowledge points and more than 2000 words in Chinese and English. Since this is a product for children, the design is simple and fun, having a body made of silicone with a soft finish that ends up being comfortable to hold.

Design of this new Xiaomi product

As for the design, this pen has a common shape, although it has a structure a little more robust than normal. In the upper half of the body, the microphone opening is located, and just below it, there is an intelligent intercom key.

The volume control buttons are located next to the intercom key, while on the other side are the power button and the USB charging port. The design of the Machine Island AI Point Pen is specially made so that the pen can also be used as a walkie talkie. Finally, the tip of this is actually the area of reading recognition, and cannot produce ink to write.

With respect to its market price, this new intelligent product is expected to start shipping on February 28 with a price tag of 299 yuan (which is around $44).

Source

 

[JSCh]

China stockpiles talent as AI battle looms
By Li Xuanmin Source:Global Times Published: 2019/1/23 23:13:40

Higher pay, better training key to closing gap

An attendee looks at a facial recognition product of CloudWalk at a forum in Beijing. File photo: VCG

While the US has been trying to suppress China's technology rise by imposing bans on the sales of US high-tech components or asking its allies to do that, it seems that the strategy is bound to fail.

In China's technology area, especially in artificial intelligence (AI) sector, many Chinese companies have been arming themselves for the global AI race.

Domestic AI start-ups aim to close an estimated talent gap of about 1 million people by dishing out hefty salaries and setting up research centers abroad to recruit talent from around the world.

"Our top AI scientists can command a salary of more than 1 million yuan ($147,375) a year plus an ownership stake. Fresh AI graduates can move their hukou (registered permanent residence) to Beijing.

For employees that are from big-name companies, we'll offer raises of up to 50 percent to attract them," a PR director of a Beijing-based AI start-up told the Global Times.

The person indicated that Chinese technology start-ups' salaries for AI engineers are catching up with or even outpacing those of their US competitors.

An AI researcher in San Francisco makes an average of $112,659 a year, the Strait Times reported, citing data from job search site Indeed.com.

Closing the gap

As the director's words indicate, the AI industry now offers some of the best-paid jobs in the nation because of public and private support. The State Council, China's cabinet, released a plan in July 2017 that aims to make China a world leader in AI by 2030. Along with policy stimulus, venture capital funds invested $27.71 billion in Chinese AI start-ups in 2017.

The huge investment sent salaries for AI-related positions in China "up 50 percent to 100 percent in recent years," which has retained high-level talent and attracted more engineers to join the booming industry, Yao Zhiqiang, co-founder of AI start-up CloudWalk, told the Global Times.

A report issued by IDG Capital showed that compensation for top AI experts in China is 55 percent higher than the internet sector average, while for intermediate and junior positions, salaries could be 90 to 110 percent higher.

Although reports pointed to an AI supply shortage in China of up to 1 million people, technology executives have voiced confidence that they could fill the gap by recruiting locally and expanding their efforts abroad.

Yang Xingyi, CEO of AI start-up Chongqing Menlo Robot, said that his company has launched a number of AI projects in China in partnership with professors and scholars from foreign universities and research institutions.

"Chinese companies have an overwhelming edge in providing support facilities and translating research findings into commercialized use… That is the key reason why top AI talent from overseas is willing to pursue a career in China," Yang told the Global Times.

The US containment of China's technological rise has also stoked worries among Chinese students who studied at US universities, driving them to return to the motherland to enrich China's AI talent pool, industry insiders said. In addition, some technology companies have set up research centers abroad, targeting AI talent in Silicon Valley and Europe. For example, CloudWalk has set up an advanced lab in Silicon Valley to recruit international talent, according to a note the company sent to the Global Times on Monday.

Baidu has reportedly opened a second research facility in Silicon Valley amid a push to attract local talent for its AI projects.

Weaker infrastructure

As of the end of 2017, China was home to about 18,232 AI experts, representing 8.9 percent of the world's total and trailing the US' 13.9 percent share, according to a report released by Tsinghua University.

Despite these efforts, the talent gap between China and the US has exposed a thorny issue - China's "weak" educational infrastructure in AI, including inexperienced faculty and well-rounded interdisciplinary training, according to Fang Yongchun, dean of the AI College under Nankai University in Tianjin.

"Given this situation, how can China foster high-level experts who are able to produce high-quality innovations?" Fang asked.

A government-led initiative is on the way to overhauling the thorny issue. In April 2018, the Ministry of Education, Peking University and Sinovation AI Lab jointly launched a program to train at least 500 AI teachers and 5,000 AI students in top universities in five years. The model will also be expanded.

As of the end of 2017, 57 Chinese universities had set up either a major or a department in AI, according to data provided by Fang. "China is loading its ammunition for the global tech competition," the PR director said.

 

[TaiShang]

11-Feb-2019

Half of world's top AI unicorns come from China
CGTN

Six of the 11 artificial intelligence (AI) startups that are considered to be unicorns – which means to have a value of one billion U.S. dollars or above – come from China, according to CB Insights, a research firm that tracks venture capital and startups.

SenseTime took the top spot with a valuation of 4.5 billion U.S. dollars, followed by Yitu Technology at 2.3 billion U.S. dollars and smaller unicorns 4Paradigm, Horizon Robotics and Momenta.

The annual report published by CB Insights compiles a list of 100 of the most promising private companies. The selection is based on several factors, including patent activity, investor profile and market potential. From emerging startups to established unicorns, the cohort is a mix of startups in different stages of funding and product commercialization.

Twenty-three startups on the list are headquartered outside the U.S., including six each from China, Israel, and the United Kingdom.

China accounted for 17 of the top 20 academic institutions involved in patenting AI and was particularly strong in the fast-growing area of “deep learning” – a machine-learning technique that includes speech recognition systems.

The country unveiled a national AI development plan in July 2017, aiming to build an AI technologically world-leading domestic industry by 2030. The value of China's core AI industries is expected to exceed 150 billion yuan (22.15 billion US dollars) by 2020 and 400 billion yuan (59.07 billion US dollars) by 2025.

China and the United States are ahead of the global competition to dominate AI, according to a study by the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) published January.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d674d33496a4e32457a6333566d54/index.html

@qwerrty , @cirr , @Dungeness not bad for a developing country

 

[Dungeness]

11-Feb-2019

Half of world's top AI unicorns come from China
CGTN

Six of the 11 artificial intelligence (AI) startups that are considered to be unicorns – which means to have a value of one billion U.S. dollars or above – come from China, according to CB Insights, a research firm that tracks venture capital and startups.

SenseTime took the top spot with a valuation of 4.5 billion U.S. dollars, followed by Yitu Technology at 2.3 billion U.S. dollars and smaller unicorns 4Paradigm, Horizon Robotics and Momenta.

The annual report published by CB Insights compiles a list of 100 of the most promising private companies. The selection is based on several factors, including patent activity, investor profile and market potential. From emerging startups to established unicorns, the cohort is a mix of startups in different stages of funding and product commercialization.

Twenty-three startups on the list are headquartered outside the U.S., including six each from China, Israel, and the United Kingdom.

China accounted for 17 of the top 20 academic institutions involved in patenting AI and was particularly strong in the fast-growing area of “deep learning” – a machine-learning technique that includes speech recognition systems.

The country unveiled a national AI development plan in July 2017, aiming to build an AI technologically world-leading domestic industry by 2030. The value of China's core AI industries is expected to exceed 150 billion yuan (22.15 billion US dollars) by 2020 and 400 billion yuan (59.07 billion US dollars) by 2025.

China and the United States are ahead of the global competition to dominate AI, according to a study by the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) published January.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d674d33496a4e32457a6333566d54/index.html

@qwerrty , @cirr , @Dungeness not bad for a developing country

This "lowly developing country" is getting the whole "developed world" so worried that they have to ask China to do "structural changes" so they can keep it up.

 

[TaiShang]

For further reference:

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/arti...de-in-china-2025-policy.601602/#post-11166097

Thank you @Offshore

***

Beijing readies for possible high-tech Cold War

By Li Ruohan Source:Global Times Published: 2019/2/12

Over 140 companies will present their latest AI applications in the areas of finance, smart manufacturing, education, transportation, healthcare, retail and services at the 2018 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai from September 17 to 19. Speakers from 40 companies, including Google, Alibaba, Tencent, Huawei, Microsoft, SAP and Baidu are expected to attend forums at the event. Photos: Yang Hui/GT

In its latest move to maintain leadership in the high-tech sector, the US on Monday rolled out a plan to give artificial intelligence (AI) more priority and resources, a move that Chinese observers warned may represent the formal launch of a new high-technology Cold War.

Industry insiders said the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump showed the US expanding its containment of Chinese technology from the 5G to the AI sector as a debate rages over a possible AI arms race in which the US may be ceding leadership to China.

Trump signed an executive order Monday prioritizing AI investment in research and development, increased access to federal data, models for that research and preparation of workers to adapt to the AI era, Reuters reported.

The executive order stressed the "paramount" importance of US leadership in AI to the country's national security and to shape global evolution of AI to be consistent with US values and priorities.

It comes two years after the State Council, China's cabinet, issued a plan that lists AI development as a national strategy and sets the target of China becoming a major center for AI innovation before leading the world in AI technology and applications by 2030.

Li Yi, a senior research fellow at the Internet Research Center affiliated to the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the Trump executive order launches a new US offensive in the high-tech sector that will certainly bring about more containment of its biggest competitor, China.

The executive order requested protection for US AI technology from "attempted acquisition by strategic competitors and adversarial nations."

Just like the fierce competition in 5G technologies, the US will likely tighten technology and talent exchanges with China, said Chinese analysts.

Chinese AI enterprises will face more pressure and a less friendly environment for their business in the US, but those changes will only make them stronger and more resilient, said Li.

The executive order brings higher policy risks for US investors and entrepreneurs who do business with Chinese partners, analysts predicted.

International academic exchanges may also face stricter scrutiny, especially in the defense sector, they said.

The global AI industry might split into two camps if the US drives this style of competition with China, and in the worst-case scenario, the US might start an ideological alliance and warn allies to pick sides, said Li. But that scenario also requires cooperation by the allies, Li noted.

Competition or collaboration?

China and the US are ahead of the global competition in AI although other countries, such as Japan and Russia are also expressing ambitions for the sector, according to a January 31 report by the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The deployment of AI in the decade ahead will add $15.7 trillion to the global GDP, with China predicted to take $7 trillion and North America $3.7 trillion, The Guardian reported in December, citing data from consulting firm PwC.

China's large population, including a large middle class, gives it advantages in having rich data and a huge market for AI applications while the US, the AI industry benchmark setter, has advantages in equipment and technology, Chinese industry insiders noted.

The Trump administration is feeling pressure from China's AI mode, characterized by strong government support and guidance, Chris Dong, an expert from International Data Corp which oversees both Chinese and US technology sectors, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Some US media and scholars fear the US is losing a perceived AI war to China. An opinion piece in Forbes in November suggested US leaders were mostly unaware of the issue and had no strategies to prevent a "historic loss."

Not a single political candidate in the US midterm elections could be found to have discussed AI, the AI war, or how the US will likely lose that war, author Steve Andriole noted.

"China welcomes such competition, but the US should be warned not to try any tricks or dishonest behavior, such as arresting Chinese," Jin Canrong, associate dean of Renmin University of China's School of International Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Even if the US seeks to block China's development, it won't succeed as the huge domestic market of China alone is sufficient to boost a mature AI industry, Jin told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Technology should not serve a political agenda nor fall victim to games between world powers, said Dong. The wiser US approach would be to focus on technological collaboration with China, he said.

Meanwhile, the influence of the Trump executive order remained unclear as it included no new funding for AI research or a detailed road map.

Much of the world's leading research in AI takes place at private US companies such as Google, and Trump's executive order does not lay out a plan to change that, NBC News reported on Monday.

China's AI industry output was 18 billion yuan ($2.85 billion) in 2017 and the value of related industries reached 220 billion yuan, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

AI textbooks were introduced to the curriculum in at least 40 Chinese high schools, and more than 70 universities opened AI-related majors by the end of 2017.

AI colleges and research institutions have also been set up in universities like Tsinghua and the University of Science and Technology of China.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1138645.shtml

 

[cirr]

AI system 'can diagnose diseases like a doctor'

2019-02-13 10:11:53 Xinhua Editor : Gu Liping

A team of Chinese and US researchers has developed an artificial intelligence system that can "read" health records and give diagnoses as accurately as experienced doctors.

In a paper published in Nature Medicine on Tuesday, the researchers said they have built an AI-based system that can automatically diagnose common childhood diseases after processing the patient's symptoms, medical history and other clinical data.

To train and validate the "smart" system, the scientists used it to study and interpret electronic health records collected from more than 1.36 million pediatric visits to a major referral center in China.

The system was highly accurate - comparable to experienced pediatricians - and may aid future doctors in diagnosing complex or rare diseases by providing more diagnostic predictions, the paper said.

In addition, it may be useful for triage patients, an important factor in areas that are short of medical resources.

"The study demonstrates that AI may help diagnose more diseases after systematically studying health records, but we still have much work to do," said Xia Huimin, co-author of the paper and a researcher at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center.

"We need a wider range of data to validate the system's level of accuracy.

"The collection and analysis of high-quality data is a long process that requires close cooperation between algorithm engineers, clinicians and epidemiologists."

http://www.ecns.cn/news/2019-02-13/detail-ifzeratr8867505.shtml

 

[cirr]

China moves firmly ahead with incentives to boost AI

2019-02-18 10:17:11 Global Times Editor : Li Yan

From the central government to local authorities, China is firmly moving ahead to develop its artificial intelligence (AI) sector, as part of a major effort to push forward new technologies and upgrade the traditional manufacturing sector.

Experts said that China's efforts to strengthen its advanced technology will not be interrupted by external uncertainties, and more incentive policies will be rolled out this year to promote new technology development.

Chengdu, capital of Southeast China's Sichuan Province, adopted 12 measures to boost AI development, according to a report from the Xinhua News Agency over the weekend.

The local government vows to promote R&D involving key AI technologies and will earmark as much as 10 million yuan ($1.48 million) in subsidies to enterprises and universities engaged in the sector, the report said.

"Chengdu's move is not a surprise, and more cities are set to engage in this effort soon, with the central government's support and a vast application scenario within the country, " Cong Yi, a professor at the Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Separately, Xiamen in East China's Fujian Province announced the establishment of research bases for the standardization of two AI technologies in January. Also, the Shanghai municipal government signed a strategic cooperation agreement with domestic technology giant Baidu Inc in November last year to develop the AI industry in the city.

Also in November last year, Beijing issued an action plan to develop AI and established an AI research institute to promote the industry.

China is driving technological innovation in emerging areas - not only in AI, but also in next-generation telecommunication technologies, big data, new-energy vehicles and e-commerce, experts said.

"The emergence of new technologies is a critical opportunity that China must seize and will be the key for China in the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. In terms of AI and 5G, China is already one of the leading players in the world," Cong noted.

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, Chinese institutions make up 17 of the world's top 20 academic players in AI patenting and 10 of the top 20 in AI-related scientific publications.

Cong noted that breakthroughs in these new technologies are reshaping the traditional manufacturing sector.

"The country also has to support the manufacturing industry to adapt to and apply AI and 5G into its existing business models in a fast and efficient way, said Cong. This trend is inevitable, Cong said.

"To continue the upgrading of the country's manufacturing sector, while at the same time strengthening technological innovation, will be the two tasks for China in 2019 and for a long time thereafter," Cong said.

http://www.ecns.cn/news/sci-tech/2019-02-18/detail-ifzeratr8870332.shtml

China moves firmly ahead with incentives to boost AI

2019-02-18 10:17:11 Global Times Editor : Li Yan

From the central government to local authorities, China is firmly moving ahead to develop its artificial intelligence (AI) sector, as part of a major effort to push forward new technologies and upgrade the traditional manufacturing sector.

Experts said that China's efforts to strengthen its advanced technology will not be interrupted by external uncertainties, and more incentive policies will be rolled out this year to promote new technology development.

Chengdu, capital of Southeast China's Sichuan Province, adopted 12 measures to boost AI development, according to a report from the Xinhua News Agency over the weekend.

The local government vows to promote R&D involving key AI technologies and will earmark as much as 10 million yuan ($1.48 million) in subsidies to enterprises and universities engaged in the sector, the report said.

"Chengdu's move is not a surprise, and more cities are set to engage in this effort soon, with the central government's support and a vast application scenario within the country, " Cong Yi, a professor at the Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Separately, Xiamen in East China's Fujian Province announced the establishment of research bases for the standardization of two AI technologies in January. Also, the Shanghai municipal government signed a strategic cooperation agreement with domestic technology giant Baidu Inc in November last year to develop the AI industry in the city.

Also in November last year, Beijing issued an action plan to develop AI and established an AI research institute to promote the industry.

China is driving technological innovation in emerging areas - not only in AI, but also in next-generation telecommunication technologies, big data, new-energy vehicles and e-commerce, experts said.

"The emergence of new technologies is a critical opportunity that China must seize and will be the key for China in the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. In terms of AI and 5G, China is already one of the leading players in the world," Cong noted.

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, Chinese institutions make up 17 of the world's top 20 academic players in AI patenting and 10 of the top 20 in AI-related scientific publications.

Cong noted that breakthroughs in these new technologies are reshaping the traditional manufacturing sector.

"The country also has to support the manufacturing industry to adapt to and apply AI and 5G into its existing business models in a fast and efficient way, said Cong. This trend is inevitable, Cong said.

"To continue the upgrading of the country's manufacturing sector, while at the same time strengthening technological innovation, will be the two tasks for China in 2019 and for a long time thereafter," Cong said.

http://www.ecns.cn/news/sci-tech/2019-02-18/detail-ifzeratr8870332.shtml

 

[TaiShang]

Anhui takes big steps in enhancing AI prowess

By Cheng Yu in Huangshan, Anhui | China Daily | Updated: 2019-02-21

A student tries Hyphen's AI-enabled learning system at a brand-upgrading conference in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Cheng Minggui, a retired State-owned enterprise worker from Huangshan, Anhui province, is showcasing to the family his "friend", who accompanied him and his wife during their five-nation trip across Europe this Spring Festival.

Though the couple in their late 50s do not speak English, they managed to find hotels, ask for directions, buy food and amuse themselves in foreign countries, all thanks to their "friend".

However, their "friend" is not a person but a translator developed by a local voice recognition company iFlytek Co Ltd, which can support real-time translation between Chinese and over 50 languages.

Cheng was not alone as the gadgets offered 1.8 million translation services during the 11 days of this year's Spring Festival. With the second-generation AI translator, the Hefei, Anhui-based company has once again made a name for itself.

The cutting-edge technology also marks broader efforts by Anhui province to promote original research and industrial applications in artificial intelligence, in response to China's call to transform the nation into a leading AI power.

Anhui plans to serve more than 1.2 billion users in intelligent voice and AI products by 2020 and over 1.5 billion such users by 2025. Revenue from related voice recognition companies is expected to hit 100 billion yuan ($14.7 billion) by 2020, a 40 percent growth year-on-year.

The province also plans to expand the Speech Valley, an industrial park forming part of the Hefei National High-Tech Industry Development Zone, to include more than 1,000 companies over the next three years.

As a shining example, iFlytek has been scrambling to leverage AI into sectors including voice recognition. Other notable products include voice-based digital assistants, medical robots and automated court clerks that review certain types of cases.

"We will pour more resources into exploring 'no man's land' in the scientific territory, and will scramble to incorporate AI into a wide range of sectors," said Liu Qingfeng, chairman and CEO of iFlytek.

The tech firm was ranked the smartest Chinese company of 2017 by the MIT Technology Review, an established science magazine from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In addition, the company has also been beefing up its presence in overseas markets, aiming to take Chinese innovations to the world stage.

This year, the company brought its latest translator to the 2019 CES show in Las Vegas, United States and won an innovation award.

Charlene Li, general manager of iFlytek America, said in an interview that expansion in the US market might be an uphill journey in the short term, but prove to be an uphill task later without the necessary spadework.

Qi Dongfeng, president of Anhui Information Investment, pointed out earlier that Anhui province aims to become China's Speech Valley to further fuel the nation's AI strides.

"The province will have an open mind and develop more core technologies so as to nurture a fertile environment for AI to flourish in the next few years," said Qi.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201902/21/WS5c6e0bd1a3106c65c34ea8d3.html

 

[cirr]

Beijing launches pilot zone for AI development

2019-02-21 09:56:57 Xinhua Editor : Gu Liping

Robotic arms prepare dishes at a hot pot restaurant in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 5, 2018. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing)

Beijing has launched a pilot zone to develop new-generation artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the municipal commission of science and technology announced on Wednesday.

The zone will focus on exploring an innovative system to develop the AI technology through coordinating efforts of the government, academia and the industry, aiming to develop Beijing into a major producer of AI-related theories, ideas and talent, according to the commission.

The zone will also launch platforms for AI application, which will offer clues for authorities to deliberate AI-related policies and regulations that are conducive to the healthy development of the industry.

According to China's plan for AI development issued in 2017, the AI industry will serve as a new major economic growth engine and help improve people's lives by 2020.

The plan set the target of China becoming a major center for AI innovation and leading the world in AI technology and applications by 2030.

 

[TaiShang]

Chinese news station unveils world’s first female AI news anchor

Published time: 20 Feb, 2019

Xinhua's new female AI anchor

Chinese news agency Xinhua has unveiled “the world’s first female AI news anchor.” The computer-generated journo will team up with Xinhua’s existing male AI anchors at an upcoming series of political meetings in China.

The virtual reporter, named Xin Xiaomeng, was developed by Xinhua, in conjunction with a search engine company called Sogou. Developers modeled her speech and mannerisms on Xinhua news anchor Qui Meng, and showed her off in a video released on Tuesday.

Xiaomeng is lifelike, blinking and adjusting her hands as she speaks into the camera. Save for some rigid mouth movement, she could pass for the real thing.

Before Xiaomeng, the Chinese network revealed a pair of male AI anchors last November, one speaking English and another speaking Chinese. While their speech is often stunted and their facial expressions limited, Xinhua said at the time that unlike their human colleagues, these reporters can “work 24 hours a day on its official website and various social media platforms.”

With both reporters set to cover China’s upcoming Two Sessions political conference next month, Xinhua revealed a series of upgrades to its male reporter. The anchor can now deliver pieces to camera from a standing position, and uses more expressive body language to fool the untrained eye.



Journalists fearful of the robot uprising can rest easy for now though. Both anchors still need human writers and editors to supply the copy they read.

https://www.rt.com/news/452006-china-female-ai-anchor/

 

[Dungeness]

Chinese news station unveils world’s first female AI news anchor

Published time: 20 Feb, 2019

Xinhua's new female AI anchor

Chinese news agency Xinhua has unveiled “the world’s first female AI news anchor.” The computer-generated journo will team up with Xinhua’s existing male AI anchors at an upcoming series of political meetings in China.

The virtual reporter, named Xin Xiaomeng, was developed by Xinhua, in conjunction with a search engine company called Sogou. Developers modeled her speech and mannerisms on Xinhua news anchor Qui Meng, and showed her off in a video released on Tuesday.

Xiaomeng is lifelike, blinking and adjusting her hands as she speaks into the camera. Save for some rigid mouth movement, she could pass for the real thing.

Before Xiaomeng, the Chinese network revealed a pair of male AI anchors last November, one speaking English and another speaking Chinese. While their speech is often stunted and their facial expressions limited, Xinhua said at the time that unlike their human colleagues, these reporters can “work 24 hours a day on its official website and various social media platforms.”

With both reporters set to cover China’s upcoming Two Sessions political conference next month, Xinhua revealed a series of upgrades to its male reporter. The anchor can now deliver pieces to camera from a standing position, and uses more expressive body language to fool the untrained eye.



Journalists fearful of the robot uprising can rest easy for now though. Both anchors still need human writers and editors to supply the copy they read.

https://www.rt.com/news/452006-china-female-ai-anchor/

It would be fun if Chinese make an AI talking head molded after Trump.

 

[TaiShang]

AI-aided justice: How technology is changing Chinese courts

Updated 14:29, 23-Feb-2019
By Wu Lei

A Shanghai court has become China's first court to officially adopt an artificial intelligence-supported software to facilitate judicial hearings, with judges and prosecutors using the new technology to improve efficiency and accuracy in delivering justice.

This also means using less paper and manpower.

The software was first put to test in January during a case involving robbery and murder.

No paperwork was filed during the trial and nearly all evidence were presented in the court through electronic display. /CGTN Photo

Huang Boqing, a deputy chief judge of the Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court, told CGTN that during previous trials, identifying and verifying evidence took a lot of time and attention. But the new AI software is helping them get better results in lesser time.

The system can act as a stenographer, transcribe testimonies, and identify judges, prosecutors, defendants and witnesses according to their roles.

Cui Yadong, a former president of the Shanghai High People's Court, told CGTN that from investigations to prosecutions to delivering justice, the AI system works through the entire procedure.

After Shanghai, the AI support system is expected to be launched in other courts across the country. /CGTN Photo

In addition to criminal cases, Chinese courts are also using information technology to handle online disputes and civil cases.

At the Hangzhou Court of the Internet, the lawyers representing their clients don't even need to be physically present in the courtroom. They can present their arguments before the judges using an online communication system.

Ni Defeng, the vice president of the Hangzhou Court of the Internet told CGTN that they are planning to reshape the entire trial process for Internet-related cases to overcome logistical problems.

However, Ni also acknowledged that several challenges remain as judicial reforms continue. He stressed that data security and technology neutrality will always be paramount for the benefit of everyone's legal rights.

(Cover: The Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court has become the first court in China to adopt a new artificial intelligence-supported system. /CGTN Photo)

https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414f7a67444f32457a6333566d54/index.html