(Yicai) Feb. 7 -- FAW Group has begun using an artificial intelligence model jointly developed with Alibaba Group's cloud computing arm Alibaba Cloud, making the state-owned firm the first in China's auto industry to deploy a large business AI model.

FAW has used GPT-BI, which debuted last month, in many scenarios for the research, development, and production of vehicles, Men Xin, vice president of the firm's Hongqi marque’s operations committee, told Yicai.

Much data and technical specifications are needed to develop a new vehicle model, Men added, noting that this used to be done manually, taking 20, 50, or even more than 80 days for some projects. But with the new AI automatic evaluation model, it can be done in a few days or even in just seconds, he said.

“Large models have the potential to change the traditional way of enterprise management and create an all-new management model entirely based on data,” according to Men.

FAW's recent sales data, such as for regional sales and rankings, can be collected and displayed in charts just seconds after imputing a question into GPT-BI, an employee said. So far, this has become the model's most popular and frequently used feature by managers, the person added.

GPT-BI also provides more references for FAW's business decisions, another staffer told Yicai. For example, when asked "why sales of a certain model are less than expected," it will make a thorough analysis of the plant's operational data, find the most relevant reasons, and generate a visual report to help guide decisions on improvements, he added.

The Changchun-based carmaker also uses GPT-BI in marketing, enabling interaction with consumers. FAW invited sales consultants from its sales, spare parts, service, and survey stores into  the research and development team working on GPT-BI to get their expertise and include it in the model while allowing GPT-BI to retain its own characteristics, Men pointed out.

“FAW will expand the application of GPT-BI in all businesses because the AI model is the cornerstone of future productivity and productive relations,” he said.

An AI-guided rebuilding of the management regime will benefit FAW, Chen Yun, deputy general manager of the carmaker's digital department, said to Yicai. FAW used to need two years to develop a new vehicle model, but now it only takes weeks, Chen noted, adding the firm has just started using AI technologies, so it will take some time to see more results.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev