(Yicai) July 8 -- Generative artificial intelligence took center stage at China's biggest AI conference as firms displayed almost 100 large language models, up from around 30 last year.

"AI is hot this year and this is the most popular WAIC I've ever participated in," Xie Jian, co-founder of LLM firm Baichuan AI, said during the World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance that ended July 6. Over 500 firms showcased more than 1,500 AI products at the event in Shanghai.

The WAIC attracted familiar names Alibaba, Huawei, Baidu, and SenseTime, but also startups such as Zhipu AI, Stepfun, and Minimax. Over 300,000 people had visited the event as of 2 p.m. on July 6 and online visitors exceeded one billion, both reaching all-time highs, according to official data.

Liu Yidong, chief technology officer of Midu, the developer of AI models used by governments, said to Yicai that he spent the whole day talking with various potential customers. Visitors already have a deep understanding of the applications they would like to see, he added.

The WAIC was a fine opportunity for investors to see a concentrated demonstration of industry achievements, whether they are created by AI startups or giants, Chen Yu, a partner at Yunqi Venture, told Yicai.

The WAIC is a good place for investors to find knowledge about the current development of the entire industry, including the direction and trends, said Zhang Qing, managing director of China International Capital.

Tailored Solutions

The conference highlights the need for a technical barrier and an in-depth understanding of clients' needs.

Cloopen Group Holding, a Beijing-based provider of financial marketing services, has started offering LLM solutions for leading joint-stock banks and insurance companies, Vice President Kong Miao said. The reason why Cloopen is ahead of its competitors in this field is that the company has accumulated a large number of financial customers and data, and can make solutions faster than its competitors, Kong added.

Moreover, Yicai learned that the multimodal LLM called Awaker, developed by startup Metabrain, is used in scenarios such as urban governance, electricity, and transportation in some cities, allegedly fitting the complex requirements of real-life situations better than models made by rivals.

Developers of niche applications and big tech giants are not necessarily competing as startups have the advantage of specific application scenarios in comparison to tech giants that target general use, according to Kong. Each industry has its distinctive features so models developed by large manufacturers cannot deal with all of the segments so this is where specialized service providers such as Cloopen shine, the VP added.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine