- Chinese tech companies showcased resilience and innovations at the World AI Conference in Shanghai despite US sanctions.
- The Conference underscored China’s strategic shift towards self-reliance in AI and expressed confidence in overcoming limited access to advanced chips, highlighting the country’s determination to lead in the global AI landscape.
OUR TAKE
Technology is booming regardless of whoever places blocks in the path. China’s AI industry shows resilience toward the West restrictions. However, resilience should be evolved so that dominance can be kept to seek a higher development without being influenced by other forces.
—Ashley Wang, BTW reporter
What happened
Chinese tech companies gathered at the World AI Conference held in Shanghai last week. Ranging from industry giants to ambitious startups, these companies showcase their latest products and innovations to support China’s development in technology, especially in the AI sector.
Facing the US sanctions, the Conference, on the contrary, exhibited powerful competence in the AI sector. More than 150 AI-related products and solutions strike a pose on the stage, from generative AI products to humanoid robots. The executives at the Conference unanimously presented their confidence in China’s future development and called for access to cutting-edge chips as well as LLM development in China.
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Why it’s important
The US and China have long been viewed as major rivals in various fields. The US sanctions on China do not hinder China’s progress in technology. The Conference reflects China’s strategic shift towards self-reliance and its determination to lead in the global AI landscape. According to Zhang Pingan, the executive in Huawei’s cloud computing unit, “Nobody will deny that we are facing limited computing power in China,” he said. “If we believe that not having the most advanced AI chips means we will be unable to lead in AI, then we need to abandon this viewpoint.”
The United States still leads the way in the AI sector, with OpenAI releasing ChatGPT in late 2022. It is also true that China lacks the most advanced AI chips. The exhibitions at the Conference, both products and speeches, show China’s determination and direction in the future development of technology.
