As the global interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has skyrocketed in the past few months, China has emerged as a major player in the race to develop AI-based products. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, released in November, has become immensely popular worldwide, and though it is not available to Chinese users, the development of such a sophisticated AI has renewed the country’s enthusiasm and eagerness to apply the technology in their own products. In this Tech Insider special report, we look at how China’s tech companies are striving to create a Chinese ChatGPT-like software and tap into the emerging opportunities presented by the new AI wave.
As Chinese tech companies search for ways to capitalize on the developments made in the AI space, some are taking the bold step of outsourcing operations. Leading Chinese AI company PDD has transferred some of its business capabilities to Ireland, indicating their eagerness to take a more international approach to AI. This move is particularly beneficial, as Ireland’s strong education system in the fields of engineering and research shall be mutually beneficial for both the people and institutions involved.
The driving force behind China’s AI ambitions is the rapid advancement in global technology, and the push for economic innovation. Companies such as Baidu, Tencent, and ByteDance have all doubled down on their investments and research to make key breakthroughs in AI and machine learning. Most notably, Baidu’s Apollo autonomous driving platform has already deployed 200 million km of open road tests in China, while ByteDance is taking its impressive AI-powered content recommendation to countries like India and Indonesia.
At the center of competition is iFlyTek, the Chinese technology company that lead the nation’s AI charge. They have already released advanced AI applications such as a Chinese-language speech synthesizer, automated voice recognition software, and AI-powered robots. Their goal is to develop a Chinese ChatGPT-like system as a challenger to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a task that will require years of research and data collection.
The achievements of Chinese tech companies have been acknowledged abroad, with the company CEO, Huang Wei, winning the the 2019 IEEE Computer Society Technical Achievement Award for his contributions in the fields of automated speech synthesis and AI. He is a powerful proponent for China’s AI charge, and undoubtedly an asset to the nation’s tech development team.
As China continues its efforts in the field of artificial intelligence, it is important to look into the scale of the efforts and the implications of its applications. The way that this technology is implemented can have significant impacts on society, and with China’s vast resources and large population, the potential of AI-enhanced applications is immense. It is certainly an exciting time for China’s tech industry and those who are paving the way for its success.
