Experts confident nation can close Sino-U.S. AI gap(4)

Regional role

Several provincial-level regions across China identified new quality productive forces like AI as their top priorities at meetings in February, where they released their blueprint and action plans for 2024.

Huang Kunming, Party chief of Guangdong province, said that as a pacesetter, Guangdong should take the lead in reaching the level of a moderately developed and innovative economy by 2035.

But, he added, there are still large gaps and deficiencies. The key to achieving these goals is technological innovation, industrial development, and the continuous unleashing and development of new quality productive forces such as AI.

Wang Peng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said intensified and joint efforts by the central government, local governments and companies will create more opportunities for China.

He noted that China unveiled a new-generation AI development plan back in 2017. This helped the country accumulate technical reserves and organize teams in the field of cognitive intelligence, making China an important player in the global AI arena.

"Now, AI has been put even higher on the agenda. It is entirely possible for China to leverage existing resources to gain a lead in AI development in the new round of global technological competition," he said.