(Yicai Global) July 8 -- Chinese cities should develop artificial intelligence computing centers as part of their local infrastructure, Ken Hu, rotating chairman of Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies, suggested today. 

AI should be seen as an essential public resource, just like water and electricity, Hu said at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, which kicked off in Shanghai today.

Various parties should come together to intensively develop new urban AI computing centers, since a lack of AI computing power will limit cities' digitization process, he said.

More than two dozen Chinese cities are already planning and building local AI computing centers, Hu noted, but he cautioned against repetitive construction. 

Building a complete AI industry ecosystem and bold application of technology to improve data collection are also needed, Hu said.

One of the challenges of conventional AI technology development is the amount of data required, but new technology will enable developers to use the available data “to quickly develop more accurate AI models with better generalization ability.”

Editors: Tang Shihua, Tom Litting