China's Weaknesses Show as It Chases US for Top AI Development Spot
Dou Shicong
DATE:  Sep 07 2017
/ SOURCE:  Yicai
China's Weaknesses Show as It Chases US for Top AI Development Spot China's Weaknesses Show as It Chases US for Top AI Development Spot

(Yicai Global) Sept. 7 -- China is second to only the US when it comes to the development of artificial intelligence, but the former's weaknesses, such as a scarcity of talents and core technologies, were apparent at the China (Nanjing) International Software Product and Information Service Trade Fair, experts said.

Some 447 AI companies have registered in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, per Ministry of Industry and Information Technology data. The strategic target published by the State Council implies that China's core AI industry will grow to a scale of more than USD150 billion (CNY1 trillion), driving the value of AI-related industries to USD1.5 trillion by 2030, China News Service reported yesterday.

Many startups have invested in AI because it is popular, and this has led to product homogenization, said Cui Baoqiu, chief software architect of smartphone manufacturer Beijing Xiaomi Technology Co.

China's dependence on foreign processing chip suppliers is also a weakness in AI development, said Lu Xiaoye, general manager of voice recognition technology firm Iflytek Co.'s [SHE:002230] Jiangsu Branch. International giants dominate the market, but Iflytek and other groups are gradually realizing independent chip production, Lu said.

China is still lagging behind the US in terms of AI talent reserves, but Chinese universities will offer AI-related majors soon, said Wang Weihang, chairman of software developer Beijing Teamsun Technology Co. [SHA:600410].

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Keywords:   MSCI,ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE