(Yicai Global) Nov. 24 -- Xiaoice, an artificial intelligence-powered conversational software system, is to co-operate with its creator Microsoft to develop commercial opportunities in the fields of finance, automobiles and content production, the firm, which spun off from the US tech giant into an independent entity in July, said today.

By leveraging Microsoft China’s customer and cloud computing resources, Xiaoice will integrate AI interactive experiences into typical application scenarios, such as virtual travel companions, said Li Di, chief executive officer of Xiaoice. The two firm’s will also co-operate on market expansion, sales and innovation in key areas, he added.

Xiaoice has already raised hundreds of millions of Chinese yuan in pre-A-round financing led by Ding Lei, chairman and founder of internet giant NetEase, Chairman Shen Xiangyang said.

Xiaoice, which boasts 660 million global users with a reach of 450 million smart devices, is working with several carmakers to create virtual travel companions. Many auto manufacturers, including electric car maker Human Horizons Technology, plan to switch their AI solutions to Xiaoice.

As for sports, Xiaoice has won a bid from the country’s sports administration to design a visual scoring system for freestyle skiing aerials.

In terms of finance, Xiaoice can help investors filter key information from listed companies quickly and accurately. This can also be applied to mitigate financial risk in the future.

The Mandarin Chinese-speaking chatbot has yet to enter the fields of healthcare and education, as there remain a number of unknowns, Li said earlier.

It is the Beijing-based firm’s hope that China’s great products can make great strides into the international market, Shen said. In the past, many tech companies centered on the US market to develop their products. But the Chinese market is very special and there are a large number of local Internet companies. In the future, Xiaoice will expand into Japan, Indonesia and other Asian countries, he added.

Editor: Kim Taylor