China’s AI sector showed confidence this week at a major fair in Shanghai that it would overcome restrictions imposed by the West, with companies rolling out cutting-edge products developed by a growing pool of young talent.
The country’s generative AI industry has shown explosive growth, with the United Nations reporting China has in recent years been the top filer of patents for AI software that creates everything from illustrations to computer code.
At the World AI Conference in Shanghai on Thursday, exhibitors were keen to show off generative AI products, with one stall displaying realistic “watercolours” and sci-fi-themed illustrations produced by software.
Meanwhile, a troupe of humanoid robots developed by close to a dozen Chinese organisations performed for visitors, raising their hands in unison and waving.
According to Ethan Duan — an employee of a startup incubator — China could eventually benefit from its large population of tech talent, even if domestic companies had their wings clipped by Western restrictions.
“A sudden cut of access to (OpenAI) API would definitely pose some challenge to many corporations right now, but it’s still far too early to say if it’s going to also be a challenge after one year or two,” Duan told AFP.
Duan’s hope is backed up by statistics showing China has expanded its domestic AI talent pool over the last few years to meet the demands of its own growing industry.
A global AI tracker by MacroPolo, the Chicago-based Paulson Institute’s think tank, said China had almost half (47 per cent) of the world’s top AI researchers in 2022, up from 29pc in 2019.
Western measures
The mood in Shanghai was bright, even against the backdrop of increased suspicion and restrictive measures from the United States and other countries targeting China’s AI industry.