Chinese companies have showcased their latest artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities at an industry expo in Shanghai, as the country races to lead the development of cutting-edge technology.
More than 500 representatives from China and abroad signed agreements at this year’s World AI Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance on Saturday, the Global Times learned.
The deals, covering AI computing power, algorithms and device sectors, represented more than 24 AI projects, with a combined investment of 40 billion yuan ($5.48 billion).
It also brought together 132 procurement groups and identified 126 project procurement needs, with an estimated total purchase amount of 15 billion yuan, according to the event organizers.
Industry insiders and experts said that the substantial outcome underscores the vitality and growth potential of the AI industry. It also mirrors breakthroughs in China’s AI that are expected to have wider application prospects in various industrial sectors.
As of Saturday afternoon, the event set new records with over 300,000 visitors and 1 billion online views, up 90 percent from last year.
The expo also showcases a vast array of innovative technologies poised to revolutionize industries, with Chinese tech companies and new emerging startups rolling out their AI products in key fields such as large language models, computing power, humanoid robotics and autonomous driving.
Among the record deals signed at the expo, the Global Times observed that “generative AI models and humanoid robots” are two of the key highlights, which also represent the future trends of China’s AI, Jiang Lei, a Shanghai-based robotics expert, told the Global Times.
WAIC 2024 serves as a testament to the transformative power of AI, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.
Wang said that the array of deals inked has sent a resounding signal of Chinese companies’ unwavering confidence in the prospects of technological innovation, as well as their firm determination to actively seize the development opportunities of AI.
“This event is also a moment for both large tech companies and startups to showcase their latest achievements and collective efforts to promote the development of the AI industry,” Wang noted.
The expo ignited heated discussions about China-US tech competition. According to a report by Reuters, despite challenges posed by US sanctions that limit access to advanced chips, many executives of Chinese tech companies at the conference expressed confidence that Chinese companies will continue to thrive in the AI sector.
Despite global challenges including the US’ intensifying crackdown on China’s technological development, the intelligent gap between Chinese tech companies and its Western counterparts is narrowing, Jiang said, noting that policy support requires further consolidation.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Friday that it is promoting technological breakthroughs in key areas including humanoid robots, brain-machine interfaces, metaverse, next-generation internet, 6G, quantum technology, atomic-level manufacturing, deep-sea and aerospace development.
2024年世界人工智能大会（WAIC）上，中国展示AI实力，签署24个AI项目
中国公司在上海举行的行业博览会上展示了其最新的人工智能（AI）能力，因为中国正加速发展前沿技术，力争领先地位。
据《环球时报》了解，今年世界人工智能大会（WAIC）和全球人工智能治理高层会议于周六举行，来自中国和国外的500多名代表签署了协议。
这些协议涵盖了AI计算能力、算法和设备领域，涉及24个以上的AI项目，总投资额达400亿元人民币（合54.8亿美元）。
活动组织者表示，此次博览会还汇聚了132个采购团体，确定了126个项目的采购需求，预计总采购额将达到150亿元人民币。
业内专家和人士表示，这些实质性成果凸显了AI行业的活力和增长潜力，也反映了中国在AI领域的突破，这些突破有望在各行各业有更广泛的应用前景。
截至周六下午，该活动接待了超过30万名参观者和10亿次在线观看，比去年增长了90%。
此次博览会还展示了一系列旨在彻底改变行业的创新技术，中国科技公司和新兴初创公司纷纷在大型语言模型、计算能力、人形机器人和自动驾驶等关键领域推出AI产品。
据《环球时报》观察，在博览会上签署的创纪录协议中，“生成式AI模型和人形机器人”是两个关键亮点，也代表了中国AI的未来趋势，上海机器人专家姜磊表示。
北京市社会科学院副研究员王鹏周日对《环球时报》表示，WAIC 2024证明了AI的变革力量。
王鹏表示，签署的一系列协议明确传达了中国公司对技术创新前景的坚定信心，以及他们积极抓住AI发展机遇的坚定决心。
“此次活动也是大型科技公司和初创公司展示其最新成果和集体努力推动AI行业发展的时刻，”王鹏指出。
此次博览会引发了关于中美科技竞争的热烈讨论。据路透社报道，尽管美国制裁限制了获得先进芯片的途径，但会议上的许多中国科技公司高管表示，他们对中国公司在AI领域继续蓬勃发展充满信心。
尽管面临包括美国加大对中国科技发展打击力度在内的全球挑战，但中国科技公司与其西方同行的智能差距正在缩小，姜磊表示，并指出政策支持需要进一步巩固。
工业和信息化部表示，正在推动包括人形机器人、脑机接口、元宇宙、下一代互联网、6G、量子技术、原子级制造、深海和航天发展等关键领域的技术突破。