Chinese AI companies pursue opportunities in international cooperation

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2024 shows a view at the Global Artificial Intelligence Product Application Expo in Suzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenxi)

NANJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- A made-in-China drone, equipped with a high-definition camera and sensors, soared over the solar panels at a hilly photovoltaic (PV) site in Osaki, Japan, transmitting real-time images of dust, cracks and potential panel damage to a monitor at the ground station.

Thanks to such drones operated by the AI inspection system of Chinese company Skysys Intelligent Technology, PV station crews can now bid farewell to traditional manual inspections that once required trekking through mountains.

Skysys' inspection service has also significantly boosted the inspection efficiency of the PV plant. Tasks that previously took staff days to complete can now be accomplished by a drone in the morning, with the defect detection rate exceeding 90 percent.

Britain and Japan have already adopted this AI inspection system while discussions are on for business expansion into Southeast Asia and the Middle East, said Wang Xueyan, the company's market director, at the Global Artificial Intelligence Product Application Expo held in east China's Jiangsu Province last week.

The expo, held at Suzhou Industrial Park, showcased over 100 cutting-edge AI products and solutions such as an AI travel planner and robot dogs, with hundreds of experts and companies participating in forums and exhibitions to exchange ideas and cooperation opportunities.

Chinese unmanned logistics vehicle developer Zelos (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. was another key exhibitor at the expo. The company has achieved a significant milestone in helping to establish industry regulations overseas.

The company's co-founder Zhu Weicheng explained that in Singapore, escalating labor costs have fueled a surge in demand for unmanned logistics vehicles, but local regulations and standards were primarily centered on self-driving passenger vehicles, thereby impeding the progress of local firms in this sector.

To facilitate product adoption in Singapore, local authorities invited the company to participate in formulating a plan for testing and operating unmanned logistics vehicles on public roads.

In June this year, ZelosTech passed testing to become the first company to receive a license for unmanned logistics vehicles in Singapore. Its collaboration with Singapore's FairPrice Group has now officially entered the phase of direct cargo movement between distribution centers.

Pertinent agencies from Europe and the United States have visited Singapore to explore unmanned logistics vehicle solutions, considering the adoption of its policies, technologies and other approaches for local regulatory frameworks and deployment.

"Startups need clients, technical talent and investment. By actively going abroad, they can seize opportunities for global cooperation and leverage the strengths of both international and domestic markets," said Zhang Feng, president of the Suzhou International Science Park, which offers full-cycle financial services from startup to IPO through fund cooperation and industrial investments.

In China, the value of the AI industry has reached nearly 600 billion yuan (about 83.5 billion U.S. dollars), with more than 230 million users, according to a report released by the China Internet Network Information Center in November this year.

The significance of international collaboration within the AI industry was further underscored by John Edward Hopcroft, a Turing Award laureate and member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, at the expo.

Technical barriers may hinder the innovation and upgrading of domestic enterprises. However, global exchanges can be mutually beneficial for related countries, Hopcroft said, adding that if talent can freely flow across borders, industrial applications and scientific advancements will be fostered.

This photo taken on Nov. 4, 2024 shows an unmanned logistics vehicle (R) made by Chinese unmanned logistics vehicle developer Zelos (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. in Singapore. (Zelos (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd./Handout via Xinhua)