Introduction
In a significant move to bolster its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, China has launched a national open innovation platform aimed at harnessing the collective strength of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) and private innovators. This new initiative, spearheaded by telecom giant China Mobile, is designed to accelerate the development of the AI sector across the nation.
Overview of the AI Platform
Guided by various government ministries, including the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the platform—informally known as AI Huanxin—serves as a comprehensive resource hub for diverse stakeholders. By fostering collaboration among SOEs, private sector leaders, and research institutions, the platform enhances the accessibility of AI technologies.
According to China Mobile, the platform positions itself as an open-source solution aimed at benefiting society as a whole. It aims to provide businesses of all sizes, academic institutions, research organizations, and individual developers with access to vital AI resources, including domestically developed large language models and hardware components.
Full-Cycle Services
China Mobile’s Chairman, Yang Jie, emphasized that the platform offers full-cycle services, which cover everything from computing power scheduling and data processing to model training and application development. This comprehensive approach not only streamlines the AI development process but also supports the maturity of domestic AI chips and foundational models.
The initiative highlights the release of 40 strategic high-value AI scenarios, derived from 16 key industries. These scenarios serve as invaluable reference models for industrial applications, allowing organizations to adopt AI solutions that are already aligned with industry needs.
Core Functionalities
The platform boasts six core functionalities designed to meet the diverse needs of its users. By aggregating substantial computing power—including over 2,000 homegrown AI accelerator cards contributed by the nation’s three major telecom operators—it ensures robust support for AI development.
In terms of resources, the platform offers a rich model repository that includes 274 open-source models along with 10 proprietary technology models. Additionally, it features various general datasets like text, images, video, and audio, along with 13 specialized datasets tailored for industries such as telecommunications, petrochemicals, energy, defense, agriculture, and finance.
Community Engagement and Participation
The initiative has already garnered notable interest, attracting participation from more than 90 enterprises, over 50 universities, and more than 20 organizations, including upwards of 10 central SOEs. This widespread engagement underscores the platform’s significance in promoting AI development across multiple sectors.
In conjunction with the platform’s launch, China Mobile also inaugurated the Jiutian Artificial Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd. This newly formed entity boasts a team with a noteworthy 12-year history in scaling AI applications within the information and communications technology sector. As a testament to its innovation, the Jiutian team recently developed a foundational large model that has gained dual certification from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
Overcoming Barriers to AI Development
Experts like Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Zhongguancun Modern Information Consumer Application Industry Technology Alliance, point out that the lack of available industry datasets and inefficient computing power supply are significant challenges for China’s AI advancement. The platform helmed by China Mobile aims to address these obstacles, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Xie Shaofeng, chief engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has also highlighted the need for accelerated AI applications in manufacturing and other critical industries. As the country increasingly nurtures and open-sources AI-powered large language models, the adoption of AI technologies across various sectors is set to grow, creating new avenues for economic development.
Conclusion
The unveiling of China Mobile’s national open innovation platform marks a pivotal step in advancing the country’s AI landscape. By fostering collaboration among various stakeholders and providing comprehensive resources, the initiative promises to unlock new potentials for innovation and economic growth in China’s rapidly evolving AI sector. As contributions continue to pour in from multiple sectors, the future of AI in China appears promising, with significant implications for both the economy and society at large.