Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
2018
July 2018
Contents
FOREWORD...........................................................................................01
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................03
FOREWORD
Artificial intelligence (AI) has gradually become While AI has penetrated all aspects of society,
a reality from a sci-fi dream along with the production and everyday life, opinions still vary as
approaching of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. to the definition of AI and its current development
Since the idea was put forward for the first time and future direction. Governments, the public and
in 1956, AI has experienced ups and downs the business community have all shown a strong
in its development. It is not until the second interest in this emerging technology. Domestic
decade of the 21st century, with the confluence and overseas research institutes have also paid
of breakthroughs in core algorithms, rapid close attention to China’s AI development and
improvement of computing capabilities and the published various research reports, but their views
availability of massive amounts of digital data, that and observations and even some basic facts they
AI has finally taken a leap forward and grabbed cited were not entirely objective and less than
worldwide attention. After AlphaGo's victory over comprehensive. In view of this, China Institute for
Go player Lee Sedol in 2016, however, the global Science and Technology Policy (CISTP) at Tsinghua
excitement about AI has been mixed with concerns University, Government Documents Center at
about its negative implications. Nonetheless, it is Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and
obvious that countries around the world have seen
Management (SPPM-GDC) and Chinese Institute
AI as a critical arena of international competition
of Engineering Development Strategies (CIEDS),
and are rolling AI initiatives to secure a favorable
together with Clarivate Analytics, ScientistIn, China
position in the new round of technological
Academy of Information and Communications
revolution. From the perspective of China, AI
Technology (CAICT) and Beijing Bytedance
presents a historic strategic opportunity and has a
Technology Co., Ltd., have jointly prepared this
crucial role to play in alleviating the pressure of a
China AI Development Report 2018 to provide
future ageing population, meeting the challenges of
a comprehensive picture of AI development in
sustainable development and advancing economic
China and in the world at large with a view to
transformation. Since 2015, China has released a
increasing public awareness, promoting the AI
series of major national strategic plans including
industry development, and serving policy-making.
Made in China 2015, Guiding Opinions of the State
Compared to similar reports, this report has four
Council on Vigorously Advancing the “Internet+”
prominent characteristics:
Action and the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence
Development Plan, which, together with AI policy Forward-looking perspective: This report
initiatives of local governments, have propelled the describes China’s AI development on the four
rapid development of AI in the country. dimensions of technological development, market
| 01 |
FOREWORD
applications, policy environment and social an AI keyword list provided by Clarivate Analytics
impact, drawing upon data and survey findings on based on literature-based keyword analysis and
talent input, paper and patent output, business validation by AI experts, which provides a unified
development, industry financing, national and standard for data search in all parts of the report.
local policy, public perception and education. On The four parts of this report are completed by
the basis of the comprehensive analysis, it offers leading specialized organizations including
reflections on the current stage of AI development ScientistIn (Talent), Clarivate Analytics (Paper and
and forward-looking insights into future AI Patent), CAICT (Industry Development and Market
development and especially governance challenges. Applications), SPPM-GDC (Policy Environment)
and Bytedance (Social Impact) based on first-hand
Domestic and international coverage: This report data of specialized databases and a solid research
offers a multi-dimensional comparison between methodology.
China and developed countries in AI development
Systematic in-depth policy analysis: In addition to
and analyzes China’s strengths and weaknesses
presenting comprehensive industry development
and its position in the international AI competition
data, this report, based on close examination of a
landscape. Meanwhile, it identifies China’s regional
total of 1,074 foreign and Chinese national and local
differences in AI development, market applications
policy AI policy documents, compares and analyzes
and policy environment with the focus on active
the strategic priorities and development directions
regions in AI development.
of AI policies in different regions, marking the first
Reliable first-hand data sources: This report uses use of this research approach in similar reports.
| 02 |
China AI Development Report 2018
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report examines China’s AI development from followed closely by the U.S. and Japan, and the
four perspectives — S&T output and talent input, three countries combine to have 74% of the world’s
industry development and market applications, issued AI patents. Global AI patent applications have
development strategy and policy environment, and focused on categories including voice recognition,
social perception and general impact. Below is a image recognition, robotics, and machine learning.
summary of the main findings of each part. Among China’s top 30 institutional owners of AI
patents, research institutions and universities are
S&T Output and Talent comparable with enterprises, with the former’s
patents accounting for 52% and the latter’s 48%.
Paper output: China leads the world in AI papers
However, performance varies greatly among main
and highly cited AI papers
enterprise assignees of AI patents, with SGCC
China’s AI papers as a percentage of the global being a towering presence which has developed
total increased from 4.26% in 1997 to 27.68% in rapidly in AI research especially over the last
2017, far ahead other countries. Universities have five years and not only holds far more AI patents
contributed the vast majority of AI papers, with 87 than other domestic assignees but ranks fourth
of the top 100 AI research institutions in the world among enterprise assignees globally. China’s AI
being universities. Top Chinese universities have patents have been concentrated in data processing
shown impressive performance internationally systems and digital information transmission, with
in the output of AI papers. Moreover, China’s image processing and analysis related AI patents
highly cited papers have also grown rapidly, accounting for 16% of the total. Electrical power
overtaking the U.S. to take the first place in 2013. engineering has also become an important area of
State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) is the only China’s AI patenting.
Chinese company to rank among the world’s
Talent: China has the world’s second largest AI
top 20 companies in AI paper output. In terms of
talent pool, though with a lower percentage of top
categories, computer science, engineering, and
talents
automatic control systems have the highest AI
paper output. International collaboration has a By the end of 2017, China’s AI specialists reached
significant effect on AI paper output, with as many 18,232, or 8.9% of the global total, next only
as 42.64% of top papers being the product of to the U.S. (13.9%). Universities and research
international collaboration. institutions are the main cradles of AI specialists,
with Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy
Patent application: China has more AI patents
of Sciences being the world’s largest institutions
than U.S. and Japan; SGCC has an outstanding
of AI talent development. However, China has only
performance
977 AI specialists in the world’s top-tier AI talent
China has become the largest owner of AI patents, pool based on the H-index, being only one fifth
| 03 |
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
of number in the U.S., ranking sixth in the world. Beijing led other regions by a big margin in the
Chinese companies have a comparatively low level amount and rounds of VC investment, followed
of AI talent input. Companies with a high level of by Shanghai and Guangdong which have been
talent input are concentrated in the U.S. Huawei fairly active in AI investment as well. From 2014,
Technologies is the only Chinese company to make early-stage investment in AI as a percentage of the
into the global top 20. China’s AI specialists are total investment in AI has gradually decreased as
concentrated in the eastern and central regions, investment activity has become more rational,
though some cities in the western region, such as though Series A funding has remained in a
Xi’an and Chengdu, have also been prominent. dominant position.
International AI specialists are concentrated in
Market scale: China’s AI market grows rapidly;
categories including machine learning, data mining
computer vision is the largest segment
and pattern recognition, while Chinese AI specialists
are scattered in different categories. In 2017, China's AI market reached RMB23.7 billion,
up 67% Y/Y, with the top three segments being
Industry Development and Market computer vision (34.9%), voice (24.8%) and natural
Applications language processing (21%), and hardware and
algorithm combining to account for less than 20%
AI companies: China ranks second in the number of the market. The market is expected to grow 75%
of AI companies; Beijing has the highest in 2018.
concentration of AI companies in the world
Product applications: AI gains wide applications,
Chinese AI companies began mushrooming from with voice and vision products being the most
2012 and had reached a total number of 1,011 by mature
June 2018, ranking second in the world, though
AI has been widely applied in healthcare, finance,
still significantly behind the U.S., which has 2028
education and security. The global smart speaker
companies. Chinese AI companies are highly
market has grown rapidly, where major Chinese and
concentrated in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.
international internet companies have expanded
Among the world’s top 20 cities in terms of AI
their presence, with Google and Amazon having
companies hosted, Beijing ranks first with 395, and
taken up more than 60% of the global market,
Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hangzhou are also among
followed by Alibaba in third place and Xiaomi in
the top 20. China’s AI companies mainly specialize
fourth place. In 2017, the global robotics market
in three categories—voice, vision and natural
reached US$23.2 billion, of which the Chinese
language processing—with only a small percentage
market represented 27%. Other AI-related markets
focusing on basic hardware.
such as drone, smart home, smart grid, smart
Venture investment: China has the highest venture security, smart healthcare and smart finance have
investment in AI also seen rapid development.
From 2013 to the first quarter of 2018, China Development Strategy and Policy
received 60% of the world’s total venture capital Environment
investment in AI, but in terms of the number of VC
International comparison: countries vary in their
investments received, the U.S. remained the most
AI strategies and policy priorities
active country in VC investment in AI. In China,
| 04 |
China AI Development Report 2018
Since 2013, the U.S., Germany, the UK, Japan and intellectual property, reflecting their local
and China have rolled out their AI strategies and development conditions.
policies, each with their own priorities, with the
U.S. focusing on the impact of AI on economic Public Perception and General
growth, technology development and national Impact
security, the EU on the ethical risks brought by AI
Public perception: The Chinese public has a high
in such aspects as security, privacy and human
AI awareness, with half respondents expressing
dignity, Japan on building “Society 5.0”, and China
support of comprehensive AI development
on industrialization of AI applications in the service
of its “Manufacturing Power” strategy. This leads From 2016 to 2017, AI drew massive public attention
to remarkable differences among the countries in and became the most discussed popular science
their AI research priorities and application areas. topic. According to a Toutiao survey of users, only
6.23% reported ignorance of AI; 53% expressed
National policy: from IoT to big data to AI
support of comprehensive AI development; and
Since 2009, China’s AI policy has undergone five 27% held a conservative attitude towards AI
stages with changing keywords which reflect the development. Concerns included the replacement
different priorities in each stage, with the focus of jobs by AI and social crises that might be caused
shifting from basic research in such categories as if AI is out of control. Overall, the Chinese public
IoT, information security and database in the early has distanced from the extremes of being overly
period, to big data and infrastructure in the middle optimistic or overly pessimistic and become
period, to AI itself and also intellectual property more rational about AI. Interest in AI also varies
protection after 2017. Overall, China’s AI policy significantly according to application area, age,
mainly focuses on six categories: “made in China”, gender and region.
innovation-driven development, IoT, Internet+, big
Social impact: AI is capable of significantly
data, and scientific and technological R&D.
increasing efficiency in different sectors but also
Local policy: aligning with national policy under poses risks
distinctive local themes
AI development is transforming the development
“Made in China 2025” is at the center of the China patterns in different sectors including retail,
AI policy citation network and has served as a agriculture, logistics, education and finance and
programmatic document for local governments’ reshaping production, allocation, exchange and
AI policymaking as they respond to the national AI consumption. AI is expected to be applied to more
development strategy. Based on policy documents, industries and bring substantial efficiency increases
China’s AI powerhouses are Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, in the coming five years—specifically, efficiency
Yangtze River Delta and Guangdong-Hong Kong- improvements of 82% for education, 71% for retail,
Macao regions. At the provincial level, policy themes 64% for manufacturing and 58% for finance. AI will
vary widely, with Jiangsu focusing on infrastructure, facilitate personalized education and promote the
IoT and cloud computing, Guangdong on AI development of education. On the other hand,
applications such as manufacturing and robotics, it will pose serious challenges in such aspects as
and Fujian on IoT, big data, innovation platform employment, privacy, security and social equality.
| 05 |
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Education survey: More AI programs are offered especially the U.S., in this regard.
in universities and enthusiastically embraced by
In terms of participating entities, China’s AI
students
companies leave much room for improvement in
By July 2017, there were 36 universities approved knowledge production
by the Ministry of Education to offer the bachelor’s
Research institutions and universities are the main
degree program in “Intelligence Science and
producer of AI knowledge in China. Compared to
Technology” and 79 offering AI-related programs.
their foreign counterparts, Chinese AI companies
Top Chinese universities have set up their AI labs.
are technologically inventive and far behind
Currently, China’s AI teaching and research activities
domestic universities and research institutions in
are mainly concentrated in computer science,
AI patenting. Even recognized domestic AI giants
electronic information and automation faculties of
such as Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent (BAT) don’t
universities. According to an online survey, online
have an impressive performance in AI talent, papers
platforms have surpassed universities to become
and patents, while their U.S. competitors like IBM,
the No. 1 channel for young people to take AI
Microsoft and Google lead AI companies worldwide
courses. Netizens have shown a strong interest in
in all indicators.
learning AI, with 61% of respondents stating that
they devote 10-20 hours a week to AI learning. In terms of application areas, the integration of AI
with energy systems is an important area that has
Based on existing research and the abovementioned
been neglected
findings of this report, we arrive at the following
preliminary judgements and reflections on China’s Electrical power engineering is an important AI
AI development. patenting area of China, where SGCC has been
the most prominent company in both AI paper
Internationally, China ranks in the top echelon of
publication and AI patenting. The fact that it has
AI development
been either unmentioned or not highlighted in
Unlike in the past industrial revolutions where previous AI studies shows that the integration of AI
China was left behind and struggled to catch up, with energy systems is likely an area that has been
China has got a head start for the fourth industrial more or less neglected and represents a potential
revolution. In AI, in fact, China has secured a leading new direction of expansion of AI applications
position in the top echelon in both technology in China which will contribute to low-carbon
development and market applications and is in a transformation of the energy sector.
race of “two giants” with the U.S.
In terms of the pattern of development, China
In terms of the quality of development, China’s AI needs to strengthen industry-university research
development is far from admitting optimism collaboration to promote knowledge application
and transformation
China’s strengths are mainly shown in AI applications
and it is still weak on the front of core technologies International collaboration and industry-university
of AI, such as hardware and algorithm development, collaboration are important means of advancing
China’s AI development lacks top-tier talent and AI development. In China, a lot of AI knowledge is
has a significant gap with developed countries, lying idle at universities and research institutions,
| 06 |
China AI Development Report 2018
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1
AI: Concept, Methods and Data
China AI Development Report 2018
| 09 |
01 AI: Concept, Methods and Data
and “Intelligent System” and additional author report are mainly based on patent-based records,
keywords of the highly cited papers identified by which represent the current actual number of
the search using the provided list of AI keywords patents published, with other results being from
and author keywords of the references of the highly analysis of patent records as deduplicated and
cited papers, with the author keywords used being rearranged according to their application numbers
validated by experts. or patent families.
As this part focuses on AI technology development, This report merged and deduplicated the
the search is limited to the three science-related application numbers of the patent-based records,
databases of the Web of Science Core Collection: where patent publication/grant numbers (i.e.
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE); Conference multiple patent-based records) with the same
Proceedings Citation Index-Science; and Book underlying patent are merged as one patent
Citation Index-Science. record according to application number, so that
each patent record retrieved after such merger
As academic conferences are also an important
represents one patent and, therefore, the number
part of AI research activity, the dataset draws on
of patent applications in a given technological field
proceeding papers from representative academic
conferences on AI (see Appendix 1). In addition, it can be determined.
| 10 |
China AI Development Report 2018
of experts that match at least one keyword. documents containing any of the keywords in the
list in the Government Documents Information
Chinese AI specialist data are obtained by matching
System of Tsinghua University School of Public
the AI keyword list against ScientistIn’s domestic
Policy and Management, to form an expanded
expert database to generate a dataset of experts
AI keyword list. Finally, the expanded AI keyword
that match at least one keyword.
list is used for information retrieval to create an
● AI Industry Data AI policy dataset for analysis, which includes 27
international policy documents (9 for the United
AI industry data are sourced from the data monitoring States, 5 for the European Union, 5 for Germany, 4
platform and industry research of CAICT Data for the United Kingdom, 2 for France, 1 for Russia,
Research Center. The data monitoring platform 2 for Japan, and 1 intergovernmental document
maintained by data experts monitors and collects for Germany and France) and 1,047 Chinese AI
data from more than 100 heterogeneous data policy documents. The data are as of May 15, 2018
sources including ICT news sources (Telecompaper, (see Appendix 5).
CNET, 36kr, etc.), major venture capital databases
(CB insights, Crunchbase, etc.), venture capital
● AI Public Perception and Education Survey
websites (itjuzi.com, cyzone.cn, etc.) and the The research on public perception of AI is mainly
industry and commerce administration databases. based on the survey conducted by Bytedance of
The platform tracks industry developments, users on its Toutiao news aggregation platform.
constructs an ICT enterprise monitoring platform, The survey was conducted from May 9 to 13, 2017
generates an enterprise basic information database, and collected a total of 3,088 valid samples. In
and supports statistical and research analysis by addition, Toutiao Index tracked the AI interest
industry experts. differences by industry, user and region from
January 1 to December 30, 2017.
The AI enterprises covered by this report are
those enterprises that have the provision of AI The AI education questionnaire was designed by
products, services and related solutions as their CISTP and implemented via the WJX platform.
core business. They can be divided into those that WJX, which has a daily visitor traffic of more than
focus on AI technologies and those that focus on 500,000, recommended the questionnaire to its
products/solutions. The former category includes visitors for completion. As of May 15, 2018, a total
providers and manufacturers of algorithms, basic of 1,154 valid responses were collecte
hardware and voice and vision generic technologies
and the latter category includes manufacturers
and solution providers whose products/solutions
include AI products and solution providers in
various vertical industries (see Appendix 3).
● AI Policy Data
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2
AI S&T Output and Talent
China AI Development Report 2018
Hot Paper: Hot Papers are papers published in the published on AI every year. Papers published in this
last two years that have been cited enough times in field as a percentage of all papers published globally
the most recent bimonthly period to place them in in the same period have shown a similar pattern,
the top 0.1%. pointing to the fact that as researchers have taken an
increasing interest in artificial intelligence, relevant
Top Paper: Top Papers refer to the sum of highly research results being publicized and published have
cited papers and hot papers. been increasing as well.
160000 7.00%
140000 6.00%
120000
5.00%
100000
4.00%
80000
3.00%
60000
2.00%
40000
20000 1.00%
0 0.00%
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
Figure 2-1 AI papers published and as a percentage of global scientific paper output from 1956 to 2017
It was found that 58.64% of AI papers were proceeding important sources of AI research output. Articles
papers, showing that proceeding papers are were also significantly represented, accounting
1
Journals included in the Web of Science Core Collection fall within 22 subject categories, i.e. ESI fields.
| 13 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
for 42.49% of all AI papers. Based on the above Kong and Macao) has made giant strides in AI
analysis, this report selected the AI-related scientific paper output, with papers published in
proceeding papers, articles, reviews and book the field increasing from more than 1,000 in 1997
chapters published between 1997 and 2017 as the
to greater than 37,000 in 2017, and the percentage
main basis for analysis 2.
of the global total increasing from 4.26% in 1997 to
In the past two decades, China (including Hong 27.68% in 2017 (Figure 2-2).
160000 30.00%
140000
25.00%
120000
20.00%
100000
80000 15.00%
60000
10.00%
40000
5.00%
20000
0 0.00%
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Chinese AI papers Global AI papers Chinese AI papers as a percentage of the global total
Figure 2-2 China’s AI paper output and as a percentage of the global total from 1997 to 2017
As shown in the figure above, China’s AI scientific trajectory which was consistently upward before
papers experienced a certain decline in around 2007 2006 and began zigzagging afterwards, especially
and 2010 in terms of both quantity and percentage in 2010 when it dropped by nearly 50% from
of the global total. China’s output of articles the previous year. The significant percentage of
and reviews has maintained an overall upward proceeding papers in all AI papers provides a partial
trend over the last 20 years, except a decline in explanation of the significant slide of paper output
2007; in contrast, China’s output of proceeding in 2010 in Figure 2-2. ( Figure 2-3)
papers experienced remarkable fluctuations in a
2
Note: Proceeding papers and book chapters that were published in SCIE journals are also marked as articles and therefore
correspond to two document types. As a result, the sum in the above figure is more than 100%.
| 14 |
China AI Development Report 2018
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
AI proceeding papers AI journal papers
The last 20 years have seen an increasing number of echelon, followed by the United Kingdom, Japan,
countries and regions participate in basic research Germany, India, France, Canada, Italy, Spain, South
of AI in a race where China and the USA have ranked Korea, Taiwan and Australia in the second echelon,
first and second, respectively, in terms of paper and Iran, Brazil, Poland, Netherlands, Turkey,
output, each with an output that is more than Singapore and Switzerland in the third echelon with
three times that of the United Kingdom in the third rather strong output of AI papers.
place (Figure 2-4). China and the USA are in the top
400000
369588
350000
327034
300000
250000
200000
150000
Judging from the development trajectory (Figure in paper output before 2005, and ahead of other
2-5), the USA had been consistently in the first place countries by a big margin. China’s paper output
| 15 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
was only higher than that of India among the eight lead and left the USA further behind. India, which
countries in 1997 but developed very fast and was always at the bottom, has since 2011 picked up
overtook the USA for the first time to take the first rapidly, and became the third largest country—after
place globally in 2006. In spite of slight declines in China and the USA—in terms of AI paper output in
2007 and 2010 after that, China has remained in the 2013, an advantage it had maintained to 2017.
45000
40000
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
China USA UK Japan
Germany India France Canada
In terms of institutions, Chinese Academy of the greatest number of AI papers over the past two
Sciences (CAS), French National Center for Scientific decades, each having more than 24,000 papers to
Research (CNRS) and University of California System their credit (Figure 2-6).
are the top three institutions to have published
| 16 |
China AI Development Report 2018
Among the top 100 institutions in AI scientific Figure 2-7 shows the top 20 research institutions
output, there are 87 universities, 8 research in AI scientific output. Among them, CAS and
institutions, 3 government agencies, and only 2 CNRS were in the clear lead, with CAS’ Institute of
enterprises. The three government agencies are the Software being also in the top 20. France, Germany
U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of and the USA featured prominently in this top
Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space 20 list, each with three research institutions
Administration (NASA); and the two enterprises are gracing the list.
IBM and Microsoft.
The top 10 government agencies in AI scientific institutions such as National Institute of Health
output are all from the USA, including government and national laboratories, reflecting the USA’s
departments such as Department of Defense strong interest and active involvement in AI
and Department of Energy as well as funding research at the government level (Figure 2-8).
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02 AI S&T Output and Talent
Many enterprises worldwide have also actively others far behind in AI paper output. Companies
involved in basic research of AI over the last 20 such as Siemens, Samsung, Google and Intel have
years. Figure 2-9 shows the top 20 enterprises in AI also yielded a significant number of AI papers.
paper publication, with IBM and Microsoft leaving
IBM 5105
Microsoft 4710
Siemens AG 2825
Samsung 1548
Google 1383
Intel 1324
Philips 1229
Microsoft Research Asia 1181
General Electric 1168
Siemens 1136
NEC Corporation 957
Philips Research 923
Nokia 869
State Grid Corporation of China 841
Honda 816
Toshiba 777
Daimler 697
Orange S.A. 623
ABB Group 589
Fujitsu Limited 555
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Figure 2-9 The world’s top 20 enterprises in AI paper output
Many Chinese institutions have been very active in of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and
AI research over the last 20 years as well. The top Zhejiang University, each having more than 10,000
twenty of them are shown in Figure 2-10. Chinese papers to their credit. The top 20 list also featured
Academy of Sciences, the only research institution three universities from Hong Kong - Hong Kong
in the top 20 (the others are all universities), Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong
leads the list with more than 26,000 AI papers, and Chinese University of Hong Kong.
followed by Tsinghua University, Harbin Institute
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China AI Development Report 2018
In terms of subject category3, COMPUTER SCIENCE remarkably focused on by the top eight countries.
and ENGINEERING are the top two subject The countries differ in their AI research strengths
categories of AI research worldwide and in the top and priorities. Developed countries such as the
eight countries as well. AUTOMATION CONTROL USA, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France
SYSTEMS is the third-ranked subject category of AI and Canada have applied AI to NEUROSCIENCES &
research worldwide and in the top eight countries NEUROLOGY; India to ENERGY & FUELS because of
other than India whose third-ranked subject energy shortage; and China to the manufacturing
category of AI research is TELECOMMUNICATIONS. materials of energy management (battery system),
In addition, ROBOTICS, MATHEMATICS and IMAGING robotics and other systems and components,
SCIENCE & PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY are also leveraging its strengths in MATERIALS SCIENCE.
Table 2-1 Distribution of subject categories of AI research worldwide and in top 8 countries
United
Rank Worldwide China United States Japan Germany India France Canada
Kingdom
Computer Computer Computer Computer Computer Computer Computer Computer Computer
1
science science science science science science science science science
Automation
Telecommu-
4 Robotics Robotics Robotics Robotics Robotics and control Robotics Robotics
nications
systems
Operations
Neurology Neurology
research and Telecommuni- Telecommu-
8 Mathematics Optics and neuro- Robotics Physics and neuro-
management cations nications
psychology psychology
science
Operations Operations Operations
Neurology
Instruments research and Computation- Other tech- research and research and
9 and neuro- Mathematics Physics
and meters management al Biology nology management manage-
psychology
science science ment science
Operations
Biochemistry Neurology
Instruments research and Other technol- Materials Energy and
10 Physics Physics and molecu- and neuro-
and meters management ogy science fuel
lar biology psychology
science
3
Note: The Web of Science platform classifies research areas into five broad categories— Arts Humanities, Life Sciences Biomedicine,
Physical Sciences, Social Sciences and Technology—which are further divided into a total of 154 subject categories (Refers to http://
images.webofknowledge.com//WOKRS529AR7/help/WOS/hp_research_areas_easca.html)
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02 AI S&T Output and Talent
2.1.2 High-impact Papers: World and China research work to the current research and,
therefore, papers that are more frequently cited are
The simple logical relations between articles (citing
considered as having a higher impact4. Figure 2-11
articles) and their references (cited references) shows the global distribution of top papers on AI,
provide the basis and background of the citation which highlights North America, West Europe and
analysis. Citations underscore the value of previous East Asia as the main sources of the top papers.
Table 2-2 shows the quantities of highly cited papers well. All the top 10 countries outperformed the
and hot papers of the top 10 countries in AI paper global average of 0.1% in their hot papers on AI as a
output. China, the USA and the United Kingdom percentage of their total papers on AI, with Australia
rank in the top 3, with Iran, the only western Asian and China leading this indicator neck to neck with
country in the list, ranking eighth. In terms of their 0.7%, seven times the global average. Noteworthily,
highly cited papers on AI as a percentage of their Australia, while not prominent in its total number of
total papers on AI, all the top 10 countries beat AI papers published in the last decade, performed
the global average of 1%, with Australia ranking prominently in the output of top papers. In addition,
first in this indicator with 2.66%, followed by the Japan and India, ranking 4th and 6th respectively in
United Kingdom and China whose percentages total AI paper output as shown in Figure 2-4, did not
are both more than twice the global average. In make into the top ten in terms of the output of top
terms of absolute figures, China, the USA and the AI papers, in which indicator Japan ranks 19th and
United Kingdom retain their lead in hot papers as India 14th.
4
Evidence Ltd. (2002) Maintaining Research Excellence and Volume: A report by Evidence Ltd to the Higher Education Funding
Councils for England, Scotland and Wales and to Universities UK. (Adams J, et al.) 48pp.
| 20 |
China AI Development Report 2018
Figure 2-12 shows the trends of the output of highly has the highest percentage of highly cited papers
cited papers from the top 10 countries. It can be on AI in its total papers on AI, has achieved a further
seen that the USA has been stable in the output of modest growth in recent years. Iran, the only
highly cited papers with a slight decline in recent western Asian country in the top 10 list, has also
years, versus the steady steep upward movement registered a remarkable growth in the output of
of China which overtook the USA for the first time highly cited papers.
in 2013 to rank first in the world. Australia, which
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Figure 2-12 Trends of the output of highly cited AI papers of the top 10 countries
In the basic research of AI, global collaboration is output of top papers on AI, where the size of a node
indispensable. Figure 2-13 shows the collaboration represents the quantity of a country’s output of top
graph of the top 10 countries with the greatest papers and the thickness of a line represents the
| 21 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
number of top papers from collaboration between United Kingdom and Australia and that the USA has
the two countries connected by the line. It can also published fairly large quantities of top papers
be seen from the collaboration graph that China in collaboration with the United Kingdom and
has published significant number of top papers in Germany.
collaboration with such countries as the USA, the
Figure 2-13 Collaboration network of the top 10 countries in the output of top papers on AI
Generally, papers yielded by international collaborative a significant number of top papers was yielded
research tend to have a higher impact, as attested by collaboration with enterprises. Compared
by Table 2-3 where international collaborative to a global benchmark of 1.83% of industry
research papers on AI represent 23.42% of all AI collaborative papers as a percentage of all top
papers but as high as 42.64% of all top papers on papers, the percentage for the AI subject category
AI and even more than 50% of all top papers on AI is 3.7%, more than double the overall global
of the top 10 countries with the greatest output of
benchmark. Among the top ten countries, France
top papers on AI. The percentage is high at 53% for
has the highest percentage of industry collaborative
China and is even more than 80% for Australia and
papers at 8.17%, versus more than 5% for Germany,
Germany.
the USA, the United Kingdom and Spain, and 2.55%
As AI lends itself profitably to industrial application, for China.
| 22 |
China AI Development Report 2018
An institution’s output of top papers reflects its Chinese Academy of Sciences and Harbin Institute
influence in the field of research. Table 2-4 lists of Technology in China. The USA occupies 7 spots in
the top 20 institutions with the greatest output of the top 20 list, followed by China with six, Singapore
top papers on AI, where University of California with two and Saudi Arabia, France, the United
System in the USA ranks first with 337 highly cited Kingdom, Iran and Germany with one each.
papers and 6 hot papers, closely followed by
Table 2-4 The world’s top 20 institutions with the greatest output of top papers on AI
Institution Highly Cited Papers Hot Papers Country/Region
University of California System 337 6 United States
Chinese Academy of Sciences System 242 7 China
Harbin Institute of Technology 189 9 China
Harvard University 164 7 United States
King Abdulaziz University 136 6 Saudi Arabia
French National Center for Scientific Research 133 0 France
Southeast University 131 5 China
Nanyang Technological University 125 0 Singapore
University of London 122 2 United Kingdom
University of Texas System 115 2 United States
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 112 2 United States
Tsinghua University 110 2 China
City University of Hong Kong 106 1 Hong Kong
Stanford University 104 2 United States
U.S. Department of Energy 96 1 United States
National University of Singapore 93 0 Singapore
Islamic Azad University 91 1 Iran
Hong Kong Polytechnic University 88 1 Hong Kong
Max Planck Society 88 3 Germany
University of California, Berkeley 87 3 United States
| 23 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
Many enterprises have also yielded a remarkable Research Asia, and Google, have each published
number of high-impact papers. Microsoft, Microsoft more than 20 top papers (Table 2-5).
Table 2-5 The world’s top 13 enterprises with the greatest output of top papers on AI
Enterprise Highly Cited Papers Hot Papers
Microsoft 64 2
Microsoft Research Asia 27 1
Google 23 3
IBM 18 0
Siemens AG 13 0
Intel 10 0
Roche 8 1
Samsung 7 0
GlaxoSmithKline 7 0
Novo Nordisk 6 2
Toshiba 6 0
General Electric 6 0
Honda Motor 6 0
Table 2-6 lists Chinese institutions with the greatest and City University of Hong Kong in the top
output of top papers on AI, led by Chinese Academy five. It merits noting that Liaoning University of
of Sciences with 242 highly cited papers and 7 hot Technology and Bohai University, though not high
papers, followed by Harbin Institute of Technology, in total output, still made into the China top 20 list
Southeast University of China, Tsinghua University thanks to a high percentage of top papers.
Table 2-6 China’s top 20 institutions with the greatest output of top papers on AI
Institution Highly Cited Papers Hot Papers
Chinese Academy of Sciences System 242 7
Harbin Institute of Technology 189 9
Southeast University 131 5
Tsinghua University 110 2
City University of Hong Kong 106 1
Hong Kong Polytechnic University 88 1
Huazhong University of Science and Technology 86 2
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China 77 4
Liaoning University of Technology 71 4
Northwestern Polytechnical University 67 5
Peking University 65 2
Northeastern University 65 1
Zhejiang University 64 2
Xi’an Jiaotong University 64 1
Shanghai Jiao Tong University 63 0
Central South University 60 1
Nanjing University of Science and Technology 58 1
South China University of Technology 57 5
Xidian University 55 1
Bohai University 53 0
| 24 |
China AI Development Report 2018
2.1.3 Paper Citation: World and China themselves are not top papers.
Authors, institutions and countries behind top Figure 2-14 shows the top 20 countries with the
papers on AI have made important contributions highest output of articles citing top papers on
to AI development, which is carried forward by AI, with the USA outperforming China with more
their citing articles that do further research on than 210,000 citing articles to take the first place,
the technologies, data and theories put forward indicating the importance attached by the USA to
by the top papers, even though the citing articles subsequent research in the field.
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
USA
China
Germany
UK
France
Canada
Italy
Australia
India
Spain
Japan
Republic of Korea
Netherlands
Switzerland
Iran
Brazil
Taiwan, China
Singapore
Sweden
Belgium
Figure 2- 14 Top 20 countries and regions with the highest output of articles citing top papers on AI
Figure 2-15 and Figure 2-16 show the top institutions Sciences, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong
with the highest output of articles citing top papers University and Zhejiang University lead the China
on AI worldwide and in China. Chinese Academy of list and are featured in the worldwide list as well.
Figure 2-15 Top 20 institutions with the highest output of articles citing top papers on AI worldwide
| 25 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
Figure 2-16 Top institutions with the highest output of articles citing top papers on AI in China
Figure 2-17 shows the top 20 subject categories with MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, AUTOMATION CONTROL
the greatest number of articles citing top papers SYSTEMS, and NEUROSCIENCES NEUROLOGY,
on AI, with the top-ranked categories including reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of AI
ENGINEERING, COMPUTER SCIENCE, BIOCHEMISTRY research.
Engineering 197802
Computer science 175224
Other technological sciences 56574
Biochemistry and molecular biology 52783
Automation and control systems 45047
Neurology and neuropsychology 40436
Chemistry 37433
Mathematics 32968
Physics 31067
Energy and fuel 26426
Materials science 25595
Ecological and environmental sciences 25146
Telecommunications 23652
Genetics 23303
Cell biology 18628
Biotechnology and applied microbiology 18444
Psychology 18417
Imaging science and photographic technology 18376
Immunology 17503
Computational Biology 16221
0 50000 100000 150000 200000 250000
Figure 2-17 Top 20 subject categories with the greatest number of articles citing top papers on AI
Figure 2-18 and Figure 2-19 are overlay maps China. The text analysis of high-frequency words is
visually representing the trends of high-frequency based on word co-occurrence, where the closer two
keywords of top papers on AI worldwide and in words are to each other, the higher the frequency
| 26 |
China AI Development Report 2018
of their co-occurrence is. The overlay maps feature focuses of global top AI papers and China’s top AI
words with a high frequency of co-occurrence, papers in recent years, with the former focusing on
where words that are closer to red appeared more a wide range of fields such as deep learning, neural
recently, and those that are closer to blue appeared network, adaptive control, optimization, smart grid
earlier. The co-occurring keywords can provide and big data, while the latter on a fewer areas such
valuable inputs for analysis of the evolving of hot as adaptive control, neural network, and big data.
areas of AI research. The figures indicate different
Figure 2-18 Keyword co-occurrence analysis of global highly cited AI papers from 2007 to 2017
Figure 2-19 Keyword co-occurrence analysis of China's highly cited AI papers from 2007 to 2017
| 27 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Figure 2-20 Trend of AI patent applications
IBM 7276
Microsoft 5356
Samsung Electronics 5255
State Grid Corporation of China 3794
Canon 3569
Sony 3090
NEC Corporation 2932
Fujitsu Limited 2868
Google 2757
Mitsubishi Electric 2716
| 28 |
China AI Development Report 2018
As shown by the competitive landscape of main In terms of patent maintenance, SGCC has the
assignees, IBM outperformed its closest competitor highest percentage (87%) of valid patents in its total
Microsoft by 36% in the number of patents, with published patents among the top ten assignees. In
its published patents accounting for 18% of the contrast, as many as 40% of Sony’s patents in AI has
total published patents of the top ten assignees. expired (Figure 2-22).
Legend
IBM
Microsoft
Samsung
State Grid Corporation of China
Canon
Sony
NEC
Fujitsu
Google
Mitsubishi
Invalid
Indeterminate
Valid
According to the analysis of main assignees, SGCC provide excellent use scenarios for AI technologies
is the only Chinese company to secure a place in such as image processing, voice recognition and
international competition in AI patents. As shown big data analysis. Secondly, SGCC not only has full
in Figure 2-23, SGCC’s AI-related technological life-cycle data of its massive assets and rich user
inventions focus on fields such as grid control, data but also has massive operations data across
power distribution and utilization networks, wide regions and time frames. On top of those, it
smart substation transformer, wind farm and has completed its transformation of digitalization
new energy, also with a remarkable interest in AI- and information, and its operation has achieved
related smart algorithms and robotics. According automation to a large extent, which provides great
to interviews with experts, the quick increase of conditions for making grid operations even more
AI patents of SGCC in recent years is attributable intelligent. Thirdly, SGCC has a clearly defined
to the following three main reasons: First, grid project management system, and its AI projects
operations and management involve the collection are managed with strict quantitative evaluation
and analysis of different types of data, which indicators.
| 29 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
● Global distribution of AI patents the United States and Japan are the top three
countries/regions of origin of AI technologies,
A further analysis of priority countries/regions
identified originating countries/regions of AI whose AI patents account for 74% of the total
technologies. As shown in Figure 2-24, China, published AI patents.
China
United States
Japan
Republic of Korea
Germany
WO
EP
United Kingdom
France
Taiwan, China
1 100 10000
| 30 |
China AI Development Report 2018
China
United States
Japan
WO
EP
Republic of Korea
Australia
Germany
India
Taiwan, China
1 100 10000
| 31 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
Chinese Academy of Sciences System 897 State Grid Corporation of China 4246
Zhejiang University 746 Baidu 542
Xidian University 685 Changhong Electric 402
South China University of Technology 667 OPPO 346
Tsinghua University 565 Xiaomi Corporation 333
Southeast University 553 Midea Group 270
Hohai University 543 ZTE 267
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China 539 Tencent 261
Beihang University 507 TCL Group 260
Tianjin University 501 Phicomm 239
Harbin Institute of Technology 470 Alibaba 228
Shanghai Jiao Tong University 441 Huawei 211
North China Electric Power University 431 BOE 199
Beijing University of Technology 418 LeEco 183
Zhejiang University of Technology 386 Gree Electric 167
0 400 800 0 2000 4000 6000
Figure 2-27 Top assignees from the academia and from the business world
enterprise , academia,
48% 52%
| 32 |
China AI Development Report 2018
● Distribution of key technological fields developed by China have focused on such fields as
data processing systems and digital information
This report analyzed Derwent Manual Codes for AI
transmission. Image processing and analysis (T01-
and provides a picture of the fields and sub-fields J10B), in particular, has had more inventions
of China’s AI technologies patented in the last five patented (representing 16% of the total inventions)
years. As shown in Figure 2-29, AI technologies than in other sub-fields.
| 33 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
had 204,575 people, densely distributed in North representing 13.9% of the global total; followed by
America, Western Europe, Northern Europe, East China in the second place with 18,232, representing
Asia, South Asia and West Asia. At the country level, 8.9%; India in third place with 17384; Germany in
AI talent is concentrated in a few countries, with the fourth place with 9,441; and the United Kingdom in
top ten countries representing 61.8% of the global fifth place with 7,998. In terms of city distribution,
total. the top five cities of AI talent as a percentage of the
national total is 10.5% for the United States, 20.0%
China ranks second with an AI talent number that
for China, 14.9% for India, 17.3% for the United
is 65% of the United States’. The United States
Kingdom, and 23.3% for Germany.
takes the lead with as many as 28,536 AI talents,
NO.1 City NO.2 City NO.3 City NO.4 City NO.5 City
Top international AI talent is concentrated in a and Italy. By the end of 2017, the top international
handful of developed countries including the AI talent pool had 204,575 people, densely
United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France distributed in North America, Western Europe, East
| 34 |
China AI Development Report 2018
Asia and South Asia. At the country level, top AI of the United Kingdom in second place. The
talent is concentrated in a few countries, with the United Kingdom, and Germany in third place,
top ten countries representing 63.6% of the global France in fourth place, and Italy in fifth place, are
total, with a slightly higher concentration than that at comparable levels. China ranks 6th with 977
of all AI talent (61.8%). top AI talents at a rather low level, especially in
comparison with its all AI talent in second place
Developing countries such as China are underrepresented globally. Developing countries like India (ranking
by top AI talent. The United States maintains its third in all AI talent) and Brazil (8th) are also in the
safe lead with 5,158 top AI talents, representing same situation, whose rank in terms of top AI talent
25.2% of the global total, 4.4 times of the number falls to 11th and 13th, respectively.
| 35 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
Unidentified
18375, 9.0%
Other entities
675, 0.3%
Enterprise Universities
6488, 3.2% 147914, 72.3%
Research institutions
31123, 15.2%
Universities that have a high intensity of International Shanghai Jiao Tong University in second place with
AI talents are concentrated in China, with 590; Vellore Institute of Technology in third place
Tsinghua University having the greatest number of with 526; Beihang University in 4th place with 525;
international AI talents. Thanks to its large research and Carnegie Mellon University in 5th place with 523.
force and master’s and doctoral degree programs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford
Tsinghua University leads universities around the University and Georgia Institute of Technology rank
world with 822 international AI talents, followed by 14th, 17th and 18th, respectively.
| 36 |
China AI Development Report 2018
However, there is no Chinese university in the top University of Washington and University of São
ten universities by the number of top international Paulo. Tsinghua University ranks 15th and Shanghai
AI talent. In this indicator, Stanford University takes Jiao Tong University 33rd, falling steeply from their
the lead with 79, followed closely by Massachusetts positions in terms of all AI talents.
Institute of Technology, University College London,
● Distribution by research institutions AI talents, taking the clear lead globally. NASA ranks
second globally with 103. Centre for Research and
The Chinese Academy of Sciences is the world’s
Technology Hellas ranks third with 67, followed by
largest institution in terms of AI talent. The Chinese Toulouse Institute of Computer Science Research
Academy of Sciences, with its vast system and in 4th place with 64 and Bulgarian Academy of
affiliated research institutes, has as many as 1,244 Sciences in 5th place with 63.
| 37 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
In terms of the number of top AI talents, Chinese followed by National Research Council of Italy and
Academy of Sciences still has a shining performance. French National Center for Scientific Research.
It ranks first globally with 88, followed closely
| 38 |
China AI Development Report 2018
Three German companies—Siemens, SAP and mainly IT service providers. The Republic of Korea,
Bosch, being all large manufacturers—break into the Netherlands, China, Ireland and Italy each have
the top 20 list. India has two companies on the list— one company on the list.
Tata Consultancy Service and Cognizant, being
IBM has the largest top-tier AI talent force among Overall, American internet companies have a clear
enterprises globally. IBM leads the corporate world edge. There is no Chinese company in the top ten,
by a big margin with 83 top AI talents, followed by with only Huawei making into the top 20.
Intel with 39, Google with 32 and Microsoft with 31.
| 39 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
| 40 |
China AI Development Report 2018
2.3.2 China's AI Talent Distribution first nationwide with 27,355 AI talents. Jiangsu
Province ranks second with 19,293, followed by
In this report, Chinese AI talent refers to researchers
Shaanxi with 12,878 in third place, being the only
having published Chinese patents or papers in
province in the western region to rank among the
Chinese or English over the last ten years, and their
top ten. Hubei was closely behind with 11,773,
distribution, therefore, is more or less different
followed by Shanghai with 10,592. Overall, Beijing
from the distribution of international AI talent with
and Jiang-Zhe-Hu (Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai)
English papers or patents only.
represent the two AI talent centers in the eastern
● Distribution by regions region, with Hubei being the AI center of the central
region and Shaanxi being the AI center of the
Chinese AI talent is tilted towards the eastern
western region.
region. By the end of 2017, China had 201,281 AI
talents with a dense concentration in the eastern Compared to the number of AI talents, there is not
region. Eastern provinces had 126,120 AI talents, or much regional difference in academic performance.
62.7% of the national total, versus 37,514, or 18.6%, Beijing ranks first with an average H-index of 9,
for the central region, and 37,362, or 18.6%, for the followed by Shanghai in second place with 8, and
western region. Beijing has a clear edge and ranks Zhejiang, Hunan and Tianjin, each with 7.
Among the cities, Beijing leads other cities by a big second echelon are Xi’an, Shanghai, Wuhan, and
margin and is followed by Xi’an, Shanghai, Wuhan Nanjing, each with an AI talent force of over 10,000.
and Nanjing. As China’s cultural center, Beijing has In the third echelon are Changsha, Guangzhou,
a high AI research intensity, with its AI talent force Chengdu, Harbin and Hangzhou, each with over
accounting for 13.5% of the national total. In the 5,000.
| 41 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
27355
Second echelon
Third echelon
11284
10860
10592
10198
7014
6452
6415
6181
5401
g
’an
ai
an
ha
in
ou
ijin
in
ho
gd
gh
rb
gs
uh
zh
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nj
en
gz
Ha
Be
an
an
ng
Na
an
Ch
Sh
Ch
Ha
Gu
● Distribution by universities
national total, versus 19,422 in research institutions,
China’s AI talents are mainly concentrated in or 8.8%, and 13,065 in enterprises, or 5.9%, slightly
universities. There are 179,349 AI talents in higher than the global average of 3%.
universities nationwide, representing 81.3% of the
| 42 |
China AI Development Report 2018
Unidentified
285, 0.1%
Other entities
7803, 3.9% Universities
Enterprise 163566, 81.3%
11915, 5.9%
Research institutions
17712, 8.8%
Among the universities, Zhejiang University ranks changes in the overall ranking places, which
first with 2,273 AI talents. Harbin Institute of show that Tsinghua University and Shanghai
Technology is in second place with 2,252. Shanghai Jiao Tong University are in the lead nationwide in
Jiao Tong University is closely behind in third place both international AI talent and top international
with 2,211, followed by Northwestern Polytechnical AI talent, while Zhejiang University and Harbin
University with 2,102 and Tsinghua University Institute of Technology outperform in the number
with 1,996. Compared to the commitment of of AI talents active in China’s domestic academic
international AI talent, there are significant community.
| 43 |
02 AI S&T Output and Talent
● Distribution by research areas representing more than 15% of the national total of
AI talents. Other major research areas include fault
China’s AI research areas are more dispersed. The
diagnosis (25,161), data mining (23,976), BP neural
top two research areas are genetic algorithm (42,706
networks (18,945) and support vector machine
AI talents) and neural networks (41,226), each
(18,783).
| 44 |
3
AI Industry Development and
Market Applications
03 AI Industry Development and Market Applications
USA 2028
China 1011
UK 392
Canada 285
India 152
Israel 121
France 120
Germany 111
Sweden 55
Spain 53
Japan 40
Switzerland 40
Netherlands 40
Poland 33
Australia 31
Italy 29
Ireland 26
Republic of Korea 26
Singapore 25
Russia 17
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
The world’s top 20 cities by the number of hosted enterprises in the world, followed by San Francisco
AI enterprises include nine for the United States, and London. The other three Chinese cities on
four for China, three for Canada, and one for each the list are Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hangzhou,
of the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Israel. respectively.
Among them, Beijing has the greatest number of AI
| 46 |
China AI Development Report 2018
Beijing 395
San Francisco 287
London 274
Shanghai 210
New York 188
Shenzhen 119
Boston 117
Toronto 109
Palo Alto 105
Paris 83
Tel Aviv 64
Hangzhou 63
Montreal 58
Vancouver 56
Mountain View 51
Berlin 48
San Jose 46
Sunnyvale 46
Austin 45
Seattle 38
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Figure 3-2 The world’s top 20 cities by the number of hosted AI enterprises
In China, AI enterprises are mainly concentrated in and Jiangsu provinces also have a fairly large
Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong. Beijing takes the number of AI enterprises.
lead with 395, far ahead of other regions. Zhejiang
Beijing 395
Shanghai 210
Guangdong 165
Zhejiang 66
Jiangsu 42
Sichuan 20
Tianjin 17
Shaanxi 17
Fujian 16
Hubei 15
Anhui 12
Shandong 10
Liaoning 5
Chongqing 5
Henan 3
Heilongjiang 3
Jiangxi 3
0 100 200 300 400 500
| 47 |
03 AI Industry Development and Market Applications
1200
1000
800
600
400
228
200 192
128
62 57 98
0
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Addition Total
Chinese AI enterprises have an average age of developed from well-established industrial robot
5.5 years. Those in Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin and automation enterprises, are comparatively
are younger than the national average. Those older.
in Shandong and Liaoning, with many of them
12.0
9.9
10.0
8.0
6.7 6.5 6.8
5.9 6.0
6.0 5.3 5.4 5.3 5.2
4.9 4.9 5.1 5.5
4.0 4.0
2.0
0.0
g
ai
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jin
ng
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nx
be
hu
ijin
on
an
in
in
ua
jia
gh
ng
an
do
aa
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on
gq
An
Fu
eji
gd
ch
Be
an
Jia
Ti
an
Sh
on
Lia
Zh
Si
an
Sh
Sh
Ch
Gu
| 48 |
China AI Development Report 2018
3.1.3 Specialized Areas of Chinese AI Enterprises translation, text mining, emotional analysis, etc.).
With basic hardware included, the distribution of
Applied AI technologies mainly include voice
applied AI technologies of domestic and overseas
technologies (speech recognition, speech synthesis, AI enterprises is shown in Figure 3.6. Compared to
etc.), vision technologies (biometric recognition, their overseas counterparts, Chinese AI enterprises
image recognition, video recognition, etc.) and have a greater focus on vision and voice and are
natural language processing technologies (machine less focused on basic hardware.
13%
20%
14% 22%
40%
28% 46%
The industry applications of AI include industrial (defined as "AI+" in this report). The distribution of
robot, intelligent driving, drone, AR/VR, big data industry applications of domestic and overseas AI
and data services, and various vertical applications enterprises is shown in Figure 3-7.
1%
13%
3%
1%
3% 17%
6%
6% 46%
China Overseas
6%
22% 77%
AI+ Intelligent robot Intelligent driving Drone Big data and data services AR/VR
| 49 |
03 AI Industry Development and Market Applications
It can be seen that domestic enterprises are more Since 2013, the global AI industry and the Chinese
focused on terminal products such as intelligent AI industry both have received steadily increasing
robots, drones and smart cars, while foreign investment. In 2017, global AI investment reached
companies are more focused on the applications of US$39.5 billion, including 1,208 investment
AI in various vertical industries. transactions, with China alone posting US$27.71
billion of investment and 369 investment
3.2 AI Industry Investment
transactions. China’s AI enterprises represented
3.2.1 Investment and Financing Scale of 70% of the global AI investment and 31% of global
China's AI Industry AI investment transactions.
450 1400
400
1200
350
1000
Number of transactions
300
250 800
Amount
200 600
150
400
100
200
50
0 0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Q1
Global amount (US$ 100 million) China's amount (US$ 100 million)
Number of transactions worldwide Number of transactions in China
According to global investment and financing data scale to become the world's No. 1 destination of AI
for the period from 2013 to the first quarter of 2018, investment, though the United States kept its lead
China surpassed the United States in financing in terms of the number of investment transactions.
| 50 |
China AI Development Report 2018
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
USA China UK Canada Israel India Germany France Sweden Spain
Beijing led other provinces and municipalities in financing activity with its number of AI transactions
terms of financing amount and number of financing being next only to that of Beijing and Shanghai. The
transactions. Provinces and municipalities including AI financing amounts and numbers of AI financing
Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangdong transactions of the provinces are shown in Figure
also performed strongly. It merits noting that 3-10.
3000 500
450
2500
400
350
Transactions
2000
Amount
300
1500 250
200
1000
150
500 100
50
0 0
Sh jing
Zh hai
J ng
gd u
Fu g
Ha n
Ti an
jin
Si bei
Lia an
an g
Sh ng
on xi
Gu ing
ou
i
Xi in
He g
n
hu
on
Sh in
n
an gs
jia
na
Ch an
Jil
an
a
do
ia
in
izh
Hu
on
gq
g
An
Gu ian
i
eji
ch
a
Be
an
nj
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03 AI Industry Development and Market Applications
3.2.3 Investment and Financing Round the total AI financing began decreasing from 2015,
Changes in China's AI Industry indicating the increasing rationality of financing
activity and the gradual maturing of the industry.
In terms of financing series, early-phase (Seed,
The breakdown of domestic AI financing is shown in
Angel and Series A) financing as a percentage of
Figure 3-11.
100.0%
4.2% 3.3% 3.9%
6.3% 2.3% 2.9% 3.6% 6.2%
90.0% 6.8% 10.6%
9.5% 4.3%
80.0% 9.8% 13.7%
22.9% 16.3% 15.2%
70.0%
60.0% 30.1% 39.5% 12.1%
38.8%
50.0%
31.3%
40.0% 46.6%
30.0% 51.5%
20.0% 45.1%
40.3%
36.1%
10.0% 33.3%
20.6%
0.0% 4.5%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Q1
3.3 Structure and Scale of The AI billion, up 67% from 2016. The computer vision
Hardware,
11.3%
Speech, 24.8%
Algorithm, 8.0%
Natural language
processing,
21.0%
Computer Vision, 34.9%
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China AI Development Report 2018
3.3.2 Scale of China's AI Market maturing of various AI technologies and their real-
life applications, the AI market is expected to grow
China’s AI venture capital investment and financing
fever began cooling off in 2017, but with the 75% to RMB 41.55 billion in 2018.
1200 80%
70%
1000
60%
800
50%
600 40%
30%
400
20%
200
10%
0 0%
2015 2016 2017 2018E 2019E 2020E
In 2018, the enhancement of machine learning Organization for Standardization and the
a n d d e e p - l ea r n i n g a l go r i t h m s w i l l d r i ve International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/
breakthroughs in computer vision, speech and IEC JTC 1) has been engaged in AI standardization
related technologies. Core computing chips are for more than 20 years. In the early stage, ISO/IEC
also an important area where industry giants have JTC 1 has carried out relevant standardization in
made deployments, such as Google’s upgraded key areas such as AI terminology, human-computer
TPU 3.0, NVIDIA’s most powerful ever GPU, Chinese interaction, biometrics, computer image processing,
AI startup Cambricon’s first cloud AI chip MLU100, as well as in AI enabling technologies such as
and AI products rolled out by Chinese technology cloud computing, big data and sensor networks.
firms such as Alibaba, Huawei and Xiaomi which are ISO’s work has been focused on AI standardization
expected to hit the market on a large scale soon. in areas including industrial robotics, intelligent
Against this backdrop, the AI industry will continue finance and intelligent driving. IEC’s work has been
growing with accelerated integration with vertical focused on AI standardization for wearable devices.
industries.
In addition, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
3.4 AI Industry Standards Engineers (IEEE) has focused on the research of AI
ethics and approved seven IEEE standards. The U.S.
3.4.1 International AI Standards
National Institute of Standards and Technology
With the development of the AI industry, international (NIST) has conducted research in various AI areas
and domestic standardization organizations have including AI acquisition and analysis tools, future
started to work on AI standards Internationally, expert systems, AI-based collective production
the joint technical committee of the International quality control, high-throughput material discovery
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03 AI Industry Development and Market Applications
and optimization, and optimized applications of industry solutions, AI is even more widely applied
machine learning, but has not yet worked on or and has been used in multiple vertical areas
released any related standards. including healthcare, finance, education, security,
business, and smart home.
3.4.2 Chinese AI Standards
interactive products (such as smart speakers, smart compound annual growth rate of 30% in recent
voice assistants and intelligent in-vehicle systems), years and is expected to grow from US$1.15 billion
intelligent robots, drones and autonomous cars. In in 2017 to US$3.52 billion in 2021.
4000
3500 3519
3000
2628 2556 2545
2500 2352
2136 2039
2000 1947
1500 1442
1150 972
1000 716
500
0
2016 2017 2018E 2019E 2020E 2021E
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China AI Development Report 2018
Major products in the global smart speaker market are shown in Table 3-1.
According to data released by research firm Amazon came in second place with 2.5 million
Canalys in May, Google had surpassed Amazon to Echo smart speakers sold, representing 27.7%
lead the global smart speaker market. In the first of the market. China’s Alibaba and Xiaomi came
quarter of 2018, Google sold 3.2 million smart third and fourth, taking up a market share of
speakers, representing 36.2% of the market. 11.8% and 7.0%, respectively.
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03 AI Industry Development and Market Applications
Industrial
robots, 15%
personal/home
robots, 43%
Professional service
robots, 42%
According to data released by IFR in June 2018, the the United States is the largest single market,
global robot market reached US$50 billion in 2017. selling approximately 33,000 industrial robots in
The market posted 380,000 industrial robots sold 2017. In Europe, Germany is the largest seller with
in 2017, up 29% y/y. China has been the world’s approximately 22,000 industrial robots sold. The
largest industrial robot market since 2013. In 2017, top five countries - China, Korea, Japan, United
China posted 138,000 industrial robots in sales, States and Germany - combined to take up 71% of
followed by Korea with approximately 40,000 and the global industrial robot market in 2017.
Japan with approximately 38,000. In the Americas,
138000
China 87000
69000
40000
Republic of Korea 41000
38000
39000
Japan 39000
35000
33000
USA 31000
28000
22000
Germany 20000
20000
0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000 160000
● Drone
Consumer drones are mainly used for entertainment
At present, the drone market is mainly composed scenarios such as aerial photography and tracking
of consumer drones and commercial drones. shots. Commercial drones have very wide applications
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China AI Development Report 2018
in many areas such as agriculture, forestry, logistics, fields. Commercial drones, small in shipments but
security and patrol. high in prices, take up two-thirds of the revenue of
the drone market.
Consumer drones are generally priced below
US$5,000 with a battery range of not more than one Gartner predicts that the global drone market will
hour. Compared to consumer drones, commercial reach US$7.3 billion with 3.13 million drones sold in
drones have a higher payload and longer flying time 2018, up 28% from 2017.
and are the most successfully applied in industrial
5
4.482
4.5
4 3.9
3.5 3.363
3 2.868
2.5 2.305
2 1.897
1.5
1
0.45 0.559
0.5 0.258 0.344
0.11 0.174
0
2016 2017 2018E 2019E 2020E 2021E
Consumer drones (1 million units) Commercial drones (1 million units)
DJI is the most influential drone manufacturer in such as EHANG, Zero Zero Robotics, Zerotech and
China. It is focused on consumer drones but is also XAG have also achieved rapid development and are
expanding in the commercial drone market. DJI fairly influential.
is the clear leader in the global consumer drone
3.5.2 Industry Applications of AI
market.
Compared to terminal products, AI has found more
According to its financial data, DJI achieved RMB
diversified applications in industrial fields. The
17.57 billion in 2017, up 79.6% y/y. Data from drone
following sections examine AI applications in smart
market research firm Skylogic Research shows
healthcare, smart finance, smart security, smart
that DJI has taken up 50% of the North American
home, and smart grid.
market. For drones that cost between US$500 and
US$1,000, DJI represented 36% of the market by ● Smart healthcare
units sold in North America in 2017. DJI also fetched
As AI finds increasing real-world use, there have
66% of the North American market for drones
been quite a few success stories of AI rendering
priced between US$1,000 and US$2,000, and 67%
superior healthcare services. AI has been applied
of the market in the US$2,000-US$4,000 range.
in many aspects of healthcare such as intelligent
Besides DJI, other Chinese drone manufacturers diagnosis and treatment, medical image analysis,
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03 AI Industry Development and Market Applications
medical data management, health management, their investment goals. Some major investment
precision medicine, and new drug research and firms in the United States such as Betterment and
development. Wealthfront have launched their AI-powered, low-
priced financial advisor services which have been
Traditionally, doctors rely on their own medical
embraced and recognized by younger investors.
knowledge and clinical experience to make a
diagnosis according to symptoms and testing Traditional financial fraud detection systems rely
results. Today, they have got a super assistant heavily on rules that are complex and rigid and
in the form of a smart diagnosis and treatment have become powerless in the face of continuously
system capable of “learning” specialized medical evolving and increasingly sophisticated fraud
knowledge, “remembering” massive medical practices and techniques. Frauds based on forgery
records and “reading” diagnostic imaging reports. and impersonation have become common
IBM’s Watson Health has furnished a compelling occurrences and caused massive losses to financial
example with its ability to read 3,469 medical institutions and consumers. Chinese fintech
books, 248,000 papers, 69 therapeutic plans, results companies represented by anti-fraud solution
of 61,540 experiments and 106,000 clinical reports provider Maxent have developed AI-powered
in only 17 seconds. Watson Health passed the automatic intelligent anti-fraud technologies and
U.S. Medical Licensing Exam in 2012 and has been systems that help enterprises build user behavior
deployed in multiple hospitals in the United States tracking and analysis and automatic anomaly
to provide assistant medical services. Currently, detection capabilities to achieve controlled real-
Watson Health can diagnose multiple cancers time identification of new fraud patterns.
including breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer,
● Smart security
prostate cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer and
uterine cancer. Security is another area where AI has been
successfully applied. AI-powered security involves
● Smart finance
algorithms and model training based on massive
Smart finance is the integration of AI technologies image and video data to provide comprehensive
and the financial system. AI applications in the protection including early warning, effective
financial sector mainly include AI financial advisor response and post-incident handling.
and intelligent financial fraud detection, among
At present, AI-powered security is mainly for
others.
police and civilian use. In the field of police use,
AI financial advisor is now a common Fintech applications in public security management are
application scenario. An AI financial advisor, the most representative, where AI technologies
powered by machine learning algorithms, are used to analyze in real time image and video
can automatically build investment portfolios content, collect human and vehicle information
according to a customer’s investment goal, and identify criminal suspects, bringing substantial
age, income, existing assets and risk tolerance efficiency improvement and time savings. In
to achieve their return target. In addition, the the civilian use direction, AI enables intelligent
algorithms can automatically update investment building management and intelligent monitoring of
strategies according to goal and market changes industrial areas. Intelligent building management
to maintain the optimal investment portfolio for includes many AI-enabled applications such as face
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China AI Development Report 2018
recognition-based entry/exit management, theft to their interests and preferences. In home security,
identification and unauthorized access detection. biometric technologies such as face recognition
In industrial areas, fixed cameras and patrol and fingerprint recognition can be used to enable
robots can be combined to implement real-time biometric door access, in addition to real-time
monitoring of all places and give alerts on potential camera monitoring and unauthorized intrusion
hazards. Another important scenario of civilian detection.
use of AI is home security. A home security camera
In China, technology firm and device maker
system, for example, is automatically activated
Xiaomi has established a complete system of R&D,
when it detects no family member in the home and
manufacturing and selling of smart home devices,
gives alarms and at the same time remotely notifies
and its smart home ecosystem has had as many
family members when it detects an intrusion. The
as more than 60 million connected devices. In
system is automatically deactivated when any
addition, traditional home appliance makers Midea,
family member comes home for privacy protection.
Haier and Gree, leveraging their massive product
Many Chinese security companies have developed lines and high market shares, have also actively
their AI solutions and products. Traditional video pursued a smart home transition and pushed
surveillance companies such as Dahua, Hikvision ahead with their smart device strategy.
and NetPosa have stepped up development of ● Smart grid
intelligent products. Companies that specialize in
algorithms like SenseTime, Face++, CloudWalk and As power grids become increasingly extended, AI will
YITU Tech are focused on image processing areas become integral to their efficiency and adaptability.
such as face recognition and behavior analysis. On the demand side, AI technologies will enable
continuous monitoring of electricity usage of
● Smart home households and businesses through smart meters
Smart home is an IoT-based home management and sensors and electricity scheduling in a safer
and more reliable, economical and efficient way.
system comprising hardware, software and a
cloud platform. Integrating extensive functions On the supply side, AI technologies will help
such as home appliance control, human-machine power grid operators or governments to optimize
interaction, interconnectivity of devices, user the energy mix, adjust the use of fossil energy
behavior analysis and user profiling, it brings the sources, increase the production of renewable
modern family with personalized services for energy, and reduce the impact of renewable energy
greater convenience, comfort and security. intermittency to the minimum. Energy producers
will be able to manage energy output from different
For examples, speech recognition and natural
sources to continuously match supply with demand
language processing technologies enable users
changes according to social, spatial and time
to control smart home devices, such as curtains
changes.
(windows), lights and TV sets by talking to them
and telling them what to do; smart devices such as In terms of line inspection, intelligent patrol robots
smart TV and smart speaker that are empowered by and drones equipped with sophisticated sensors
machine learning and deep learning technologies and detectors makes the inspection work more
can learn about the user through their subscriptions accurate, more efficient and safer. As for data
or use history and recommend content according diagnostics, intelligent patrol robots not only offer
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03 AI Industry Development and Market Applications
more precise diagnosis than human eyes and towers dozens of meters high, take photographs of
all types of hand-held devices, but also support them, and identify even the slightest disjunction.
automatic operation round the clock, thus greatly According to its official data, Guangdong Power
expediting fault identification. Meanwhile, history Grid performs aerial power line inspection of over
inspection data can be analyzed to reveal hidden 180,000 km annually, equivalent to 4.5 times the
patterns and degradation trends of equipment and earth's circumference, 85% of which is conducted
inform scientific formulation of maintenance and by drones, representing the largest drone
repair strategies. Drones fitted with high-resolution inspection workload in the world. Drone inspection
cameras capable of high-accuracy positioning has increased its overall inspection efficiency by 2.6
and automatic detection can hover over power times.
| 60 |
4
AI Development Strategy and
Policy Environment
04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
This chapter compares and analyzes AI development on Human-Machine Interaction), BMBF gründet
from the perspective of international policy Plattform “Lernende Systeme” (BMBF launches
(United States, European Union, Germany, United Platform for Learning Systems), Innovation Policy,
Kingdom, France, Japan and Republic of Korea), and Präsentation zur Künstlichen Intelligenz
China’s national policy, and China’s provincial-level (Presentation on Artificial Intelligence) co-prepared
government policy. with France.
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China AI Development Report 2018
Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” released Japan’s AI policies, launched rather recently, have
in 2017, referred to in the media as “Year 1 of been geared to establishing a fairly comprehensive
AI development in China”, which identifies the AI research advancement mechanism with a view to
development directions and priority areas of leveraging AI to promote its “Society 5.0” building.
China’s AI development.
China’s AI policies in the early phase were tilted
Figure 4-1 provides a survey of AI strategies and towards the Internet and therefore applications-
policies released by the United States, European oriented and focused on such areas as computer
Union, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Japan vision, natural language processing, intelligent
and China since 2013. The United States' AI policies
robots and speech recognition. Despite having
are geared to dealing with the general trend of AI
built some advantages in these areas, China's
development and the impact and changes it may
AI development was less than balanced when
bring to the national security and social stability in
compared to the AI deployments of the United
the long term, and maintaining the leading position
States. Therefore, China's current AI strategy
of the United States as a technology superpower
emphasizes systematic deployments at the
in AI development and its key areas (internet;
national level with a view to, as stated in the report
computer software and hardware such as chips
to the 19th CPC National Congress, "promoting
and operating systems; and finance, military and
further integration of the internet, big data, and
energy areas). The United States strives to take a
artificial intelligence with the real economy", by
full measure of the effects of AI-driven automation
on the economy, examine the opportunities and emphasizing the establishment of an open and
challenges that AI will bring to employment, collaborative AI technology and innovation system,
and come up with strategies to deal with them. grasping AI's characteristic of high integration of
The European Union and European countries technological attributes and social attributes,
represented by Germany, United Kingdom and adhering to the "three in one" synergy of AI R&D,
France stress the ethical and moral risks of AI product application and industry fostering, and
development and in policymaking focus on how to strengthening AI's comprehensive support for
respond to the potential security, privacy, integrity technological, economic and social development
and other ethical threats posed by AI to humankind. and national security.
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
AI strategies Presentation
France of France and on Artificial
Europe Intelligence
Japan
Artificial Intelligence
Japan Revitalization
Technology Strategy
Strategy 2016
4.1.2 Key AI Research and Application Areas in their level of technological development and
in Major Countries and Regions national conditions, their AI policies vary greatly in
Because of significant differences among countries terms of priority areas of research and application.
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China AI Development Report 2018
Data protection; network security; AI ethics; Supercomputer; data processing; financial economy;
EU
digital technology training; e-government digital society; education
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
The Trump administration initially reacted slowly Germany, which launched its “Industry 4.0”
and indifferently to the rise of artificial intelligence, program in 2013 leveraging its strong industrial
but this situation is undergoing changes. At the infrastructure, has prioritized human-computer
recently concluded “Artificial Intelligence for interaction, cyber-physical systems, cloud
American Industry” summit, the White House computing, computer identification, intelligent
announced the establishment of the Select services, digital networks, microelectronics and
Committee on Artificial Intelligence to examine big data, network security and high-performance
U.S. priorities and investments on AI development. computing. In AI applications, it has focused on
The R&D budget will focus on autonomous and intelligent transportation, healthcare, agriculture,
unmanned systems, especially in such areas ecological economy, energy digital society and
as homeland security and national defense. In other fields, involving all aspects of German society.
application innovation, AI has been widely applied
The United Kingdom is committed to the R&D of
in different sectors in the United States such as
AI technologies in the fields of hardware CPU and
homeland security, medical imaging, and national
identification. In applications, it has widely applied
defense and military, with applications including
AI technologies in areas including underwater
face recognition and wearable alarm systems
robotics, offshore engineering, agriculture,
in homeland security and AI-powered medical
aerospace and mineral collection. Compared
imaging in medical care.
to the United States and Germany, the United
The European Union has attached great importance Kingdom is more confined in both research and
to AI and actively united its member states to applications of AI but has greater specificity and
conduct related legislative discussions. Most EU depth with an emphasis on practicality. Meanwhile,
countries have joined the Horizon 2020 program the UK government has also emphasized AI talent
and the SPARC robotics program in an effort to development and invested heavily in technical
improve Europe’s overall competitiveness through colleges which have attracted many high-level
innovation in this field. Some EU countries, such specialists from universities.
as Italy and Finland, have not yet formed a unified
France has allocated a lot of resources for R&D of AI-
government-level strategic policy, but their
related supercomputers. In AI applications, it has
major universities and research institutions have
focused on ecological economy, gender equality,
undertaken their national research tasks in the
e-government and medical care. When it comes
field of AI. In general, the EU pays more attention to
to practicality, France has paid close attention to
AI’s impact on human society. Its research usually
industries that are closely related to AI such as
involves social sciences such as data protection,
healthcare and autonomous cars and adopted
network security and AI ethics. At present, it has
a more cautious attitude towards investment
also invested considerably in digital technology
in new AI research areas, with its R&D priorities
training and e-government related research. In
concentrated in traditional fields.
applications, the EU stresses AI-related basic
research and has spent heavily on supercomputers Japanese society has always had a strong interest
and data processing applications in particular. in robotics-related R&D and manufacturing. Japan
The EU has also shown interest in in-depth AI has invested greatly in the fields of robotics, brain-
applications in such fields as financial economy, to-brain communication, sound recognition,
digital society and education. language translation, social knowledge analysis,
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China AI Development Report 2018
innovative network construction and big data financing. In 2016, NSTC and NSTC Subcommittee
analysis. In AI applications, Japan has focused on on Networking and Information Technology
two lines: 1) traditional robot manufacturing and Research and Development (NITRD) jointly released
applications to achieve production automation, the National Artificial Intelligence Research and
automatic delivery and large-scale IoT deployment Development Strategic Plan which states that
in replacing workers; and 2) AI-powered medical NSTC is the principal means by which executive
care and autonomous vehicles to solve the branches coordinate science and technology policy
country’s increasing population ageing. It can be across diverse entities. NSTC oversees the working
seen that Japan’s AI R&D and applications are groups focused on different aspects of AI, and
geared to solving specific real-world issues while establishes clear national goals for Federal science
reflecting its traditional cultural setting. and technology investments. This makes NSTC an
important agency for AI investments.
China’s AI development is guided by the “1+N”
planning system and has its focus on basic theories The EU AI policy’s two principal driving forces are
and key technologies while also supporting the European Commission (EC) and the European
free exploration in interdisciplinary research. In Parliament Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), which
applications, China has highlighted the important not only design AI development plans but also
role played by AI in extensive fields including smart address issues that AI development may encounter.
manufacturing, smart agriculture, smart logistics, In 2013, the EC and euRobotics jointly launched the
smart finance, smart commerce, smart home, SPARC robotics program aimed at driving Europe’s
smart education, smart healthcare, smart pension, robotics development, promoting industry and
administrative management, judicial management, supply chain development, and encouraging the
and underwater space exploration. It can be seen committee has proposed bills that emphasize
that China’s AI research and applications have research on legal issues relating to robotics and
AI development and related issues such as ethics,
been driven by the pursuit of sustainable economic
safety and intellectual property protection.
and social development and cover wide research
Subsequent agencies that have come to the AI
and application areas with a view to achieving
scene include euRobotics, SPARC, European
comprehensive development of the AI industry.
Robotics Technology Platform (EUROP) and
4.1.3 AI Policy Advancement Agencies in European Robotics Network (EURON). Among them,
Major Countries and Regions euRobotics launched the SPARC robotics program
and Horizon 2020 initiative and set forth a robotics
The United States’ AI policy steering agencies are
development roadmap. Other agencies such as
the National Science and Technology Council
EUROP and EURON play an important organizing
(NSTC), the Office of Science and Technology
and coordinating role and promote AI research and
Policy (OSTP) and the Office of Management and
industry development by integrating AI research
Budget (OMB). Through the joint efforts of the
institutes and researchers.
U.S. government and the private sector, the NSTC
Subcommittee on Machine Learning and Artificial Germany’s main AI policy steering agencies are the
intelligence and the Select Committee on Artificial federal government, Federal Ministry of Education
Intelligence were established to facilitate AI industry and Research (BMBF), Federal Ministry for Economic
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and German Academy Council and Directorate General of Armaments
of Science and Engineering (acatech), which lead (DGA). At the same time, France’s AI research has
Germany’s AI policy making and implementation. also focused on the ethical issues relating to AI
Among them, BMBF is directly involved in AI industry development, and this concern led to the
technology development, such as in the service establishment of an AI ethics committee to advance
robot project. BMWi supports six robotics projects the country’s AI strategy with a series of measures
and conducts research on robotic autonomous to establish a fair and sound assessment system to
learning and behavioral decision-making models. ensure that data is appropriately used and avoid
Other mechanisms later introduced such as any misleading use of AI.
Industry 4.0 Platform in 2013, Platform for Learning
In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proposed the
Systems in 2017 and German-French Artificial
establishment of AI R&D targets and industrialization
Intelligence Joint R&D Center and German Research
roadmap at the 5th Public-Private Dialogue
Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in 2018 are
towards Investment for the Future held in April
also important R&D instruments of Germany’s AI
2016. After that, the Japanese government officially
policy.
set up the Artificial Intelligence Technology
The United Kingdom has put in place a well- Strategy Council that serves as a national-level
functioning AI development ecosystem comprising general management agency that coordinates the
researchers, developers and enterprises, where the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications,
main driving forces of AI policy are the Engineering Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Technology and Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Royal Academy of Engineering, and subsequently Industry to jointly promote AI technology R&D and
established or introduced entities such as the applications. Among them, the Ministry of Internal
RAS Leadership Council, the National Artificial Affairs and Communications is mainly responsible
Intelligence Research Center and the UK AI Council. for AI development in areas including brain-to-
The British government has hoped to make the brain communication, sound recognition, language
UK an innovation center for artificial intelligence translation, social knowledge analysis and
and to establish a partnership with the industry to innovation network, with efforts led by the National
this context, the AI Council came into being. The Technology under it; the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is mainly
council is a body of publicizing and promoting
responsible for AI development in areas including
AI that comprises AI researchers and provides
basic research, innovation based on relevant S&T
scientific data and reference for the government’s AI
achievements, development of emerging next-
reports. It conducted discussions on AI applications
generation basic technologies, provision of high-
in the medical sector and has become an important
performance computing resources and talent
factor in the UK government’s AI policymaking.
development, with efforts led by Institute of
France has made active efforts to advance AI Physical and Chemical Research under it; and the
innovation and R&D, leveraging the opportunities Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is mainly
from the EU’s robotics development. The main responsible for AI development relating to applied
driving forces of France’s AI policy making include research, practical use and social applications of
the French Parliament, French Institute for Research AI, standard assessment methods and techniques,
in Computer Science and Automation, French Digital and research on large-scale use of AI, with efforts
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China AI Development Report 2018
led by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial issues and regular publication of government
Science and Technology (AIST) under it. white papers on AI. The Advisory Committee on AI
In China, AI development has been in line with a Strategy was established in November 2017 with
three-step strategy introduced in 2017 in an effort the release of the Next-Generation AI Development
led by the State Council, the Central Leading Group
Plan in a significant move which marked China’s
for National Science and Technology System
commitment to promoting innovative applications
Reform and Innovation System Construction
and the Ministry of Science and Technology of AI on a large scale, optimizing its systematic
which are responsible for formulation and deployments of AI development, and turning AI
implementation of AI plans and projects and into a major driver of China’s industry upgrade and
supported by the Office for Advancing AI Plans
economic transformation and which, so to speak,
and the Advisory Committee on AI Strategy with
research on relevant issues such as AI theories ushered China’s AI development into the stage of
and technologies and related legal and ethical comprehensive implementation.
Driving Forces
Country Agencies Subsequently Created or Added
(Policymaking and Funding)
euRobotics;
European Parliament Committee on
SPARC;
EU Legal Affairs (JURI);
European Robotics Technology Platform (EUROP);
European Commission (EC)
European Robotics Network (EURON)
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
Driving Forces
Country Agencies Subsequently Created or Added
(Policymaking and Funding)
French Parliament;
French Institute for Research in Com-
AI Ethics Committee;
puter Science and Automation;
France Planning to set up an environmental impact assessment plat-
French Digital Council;
form to build a green value chain of AI
Directorate General of Armaments
(DGA);
State Council;
Central Leading Group for National Office for Advancing AI Plans;
Science and Technology System Advisory Committee on AI Strategy (advancing project imple-
China
Reform and Innovation System Con- mentation through coordination of the Ministry of Science
struction; and Technology and other government authorities)
Ministry of Science and Technology;
Since the rise of AI research in China, the country methods and key technologies and developing
has released a series of AI policies which have related equipment, tools and platforms; and
technology and related industries. Searching the based on big data analysis and achieving human-
government documents database using keywords like vision, hearing, speech and thinking to
in the AI keyword list returned 202 central-level AI support AI-driven industrial development and
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China AI Development Report 2018
documents including State Council Guidelines on international competition in the AI era to build
Promoting the Healthy and Orderly Development of new competitive edge, increase the development
the Internet of Things, Made in China 2025, Robotics potential of the country, and effectively protect
Industry Development Plan (2016-2020), State national security. Specific measures that have
Council Guidelines on Promoting the “Internet+” been outlined include thoroughly implementing
Action, State Council Notice on Issuing the Action the innovation-driven development strategy,
Outline for Promoting the Development of Big Data, accelerating the integration of AI with economy,
Thirteenth Five-year Plan on National Economic and society and national defense, improving innovation
Social Development and State Council Notice on capabilities powered by next-generation AI
Issuing the “Next Generation Artificial Intelligence technology, developing the intelligent economy,
Development Plan”. Among them, the Next building an intelligent society, safeguarding
Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan national security, establishing an ecosystem
stated that the comprehensive AI advancement where knowledge clusters, technology clusters
in terms of disciplinary development, theoretical and industry clusters are integrated based on
modelling, technological innovation and software positive interaction and talent, systems and culture
and hardware upgrade is triggering a chain reaction support each other, anticipating and addressing
that will accelerate the change of economic potential risks and challenges, advancing AI-
and social development from digitalization and driven sustainable development, comprehensively
connectivity to artificial intelligence. Facing a increasing China’s productivity, overall national
complicated national security and international strength and international competitiveness, and
competition situation, China must adopt a global providing a powerful support for China’s efforts
perspective and develop AI as a national strategy to become an innovative nation and technology
by making proactive systematic deployments superpower and achieve the two centennial goals
and always maintaining the strategic initiative in and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
China’s AI policies can be divided into five stages big data and infrastructure and emphasized
according to the time of release of key AI policy the creation of standards in the early stage of AI
documents: Stage 1 (before 2013), of potential development;
development, where few policy documents were
In Stage 3 (May 2015–March 2016), the main AI
released and AI was not specified as a national
policy keywords included big data, infrastructure,
priority; Stage 2 (2013-2015), of preliminary
IoT, cloud computing and data sharing. This stage
development, where the importance of AI began
saw rapid AI development in China, marked by the
gaining recognition across all circles of society;
release of a large number of AI policy documents,
Stage 3 (2015-2016), of rapid development, where a
the enshrining of AI development as a national
lot of policies documents were released and AI was
strategy and the focus of AI policy keywords
elevated as a national strategy; Stage 4 (2016-2017),
of stable development, where understanding of AI on infrastructure, especially on big data, cloud
R&D and industry development was increasingly computing, data sharing and AI infrastructure. It can
mature and policy documents came out stably; be seen that this stage saw the entry of AI into the
and Stage 5 (2017 to the present), of steady big data era and related policies began attaching
iteration, where all sectors have a more pragmatic importance to mining and analysis of massive data;
understanding of AI and related policies are more In Stage 4 (March 2016–July 2017), the main
specifically targeted.
AI policy keywords, in the descending order of
4.2.2 Evolution of China's National AI Policy frequency, included big data, AI, infrastructure, IoT
Themes and cloud computing. This stage represented a
period of stable AI development in China, which saw
Corresponding with the release of key policy
an increasingly mature understanding of AI R&D
documents, each stage had remarkably different
and industry development and an increase of AI
themes.
policy documents issued. The frequent mentioning
In Stage 1 (2009–2013), AI policy themes focused of AI indicated a sharp increase of attention paid by
on IoT, information security, database, AI and all circles of life to AI, and relevant segments of the
infrastructure. In this stage, AI R&D and applications AI industry began experiencing rapid development.
did not attract public attention and were mainly
In Stage 5 (July 2017–the present), the main AI
discussed in the academic fields, especially in
policy keywords included AI, big data, information
computer science research.
security, cloud computing and infrastructure. This
In Stage 2 (February 2013–May 2015), the main stage experienced an AI fever and since then has
AI policy keywords, in the descending order of seen a more pragmatic understanding of AI from
frequency, included IoT, technical standards, all sectors of life and a greater specificity within
infrastructure, big data and AI. In this preliminary produced AI policy documents. In this stage, AI,
stage of AI development, all circles of society supported by technologies such as big data, cloud
gradually realized the importance of AI and policy computing and information security as well as
adjustments were made that reflected increasing rapid development of relevant infrastructure, has
importance attached to technologies such as become a national strategic industry.
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Internet of Internet of
Big data Big data AI
Things Things
Information Technical
Infrastructure AI Big data
security standard
Frequency
Internet of Information
Database Infrastructure Infrastructure
Things security
Cloud
Infrastructure AI Data sharing Infrastructure
computing
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
● Stage 2: February 2013 – May 2015 saw big data technology gain application in IoT
development, but AI policy keywords still focused
In this stage, which began with the release the State
on issues that remained unsolved such as difficulty
Council Guidelines on Promoting the Healthy and in key technology R&D, yet-to-be-improved
Orderly Development of the Internet of Things on infrastructure, and information security threats.
February 17, 2013, IoT and technical standards Meanwhile, it saw steady development in such
remained core themes, but keywords such as fields as smart grid, smart city and smart device,
AI, security regulation, big data and indigenous with relevant AI research projects expecting to gain
innovation began occurring more frequently. actual applications in public security and other
This stage saw China lay some groundwork in IoT fields and provide more advanced information
technology development, standard formulation, processing and analysis capabilities.
Figure 4-5 AI policy keyword co-occurrence diagram from February 2013 to May 2015
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● Stage 3: May 2015 – March 2016 State Council issued Made in China 2025, in
which it outlined comprehensive deployments
This stage saw the release of a series of important
to turn China into a manufacturing power. Smart
policy documents such as Made in China 2025,
manufacturing was designated as a key direction
Robotics Industry Development Plan (2016-
of Chinese manufacturing, and efforts were
2020), State Council Guidelines on Promoting
highlighted to accelerate integrated development
the “Internet+” Action, and State Council Notice
of next-generation information technology and
on Issuing the Action Outline for Promoting the
Development of Big Data, with basic technologies manufacturing technology, develop intelligent
of AI such as big data, infrastructure, information equipment and smart devices, advance production
security and IoT becoming core themes and AI automation, and promote AI application in wide
disappearing altogether. This, however, did not fields including smart home, smart devices, smart
mean that AI was fading away but that as increasing cars and robots. In July 2015, the State Council
importance was attached to the foundation of AI issued the Guidelines on Promoting the “Internet+”
development and as understanding of AI became Action which explicitly identified AI as one of the
more mature, the focus had been shifted to basic 11 prioritized areas of development to form new
technologies and relevant real-world applications industrial models and thus elevated AI to the level
of AI (such as smart agriculture). This stage saw of a national strategy, ushering AI into the new era
the rapid development of AI. In May 2015, the of “Internet+” and big data.
Figure 4-6 AI policy keyword co-occurrence diagram from May 2015 to March 2016
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
● Stage 4: March 2016 – July 2017 R&D and industry development and as a result
paid more attention to AI’s future applications
In March 2016, the Thirteenth Five-year Plan on
(robotics, smart manufacturing, etc.) and enabling
National Economic and Social Development (Draft)
technologies (deep learning, etc.). The fact that
was released which highlighted a commitment
high-frequency AI policy keywords continued to
to making breakthroughs in AI. The keyword co- be big data and AI showed China’s determination
occurrence network for this stage became more and attitude towards AI development in this stage.
complicated, though big data, AI, infrastructure, In this stage, development in key fields such as
IoT and technical standards remained to be virtual technology, smart commerce and industrial
core themes, themes such as robotics, smart robotics marked the gradual establishment and
manufacturing and deep learning gained improvement of the AI industrial system, and at the
prominence. The background was that with the same time, emerging technologies like IoT, cloud
development of AI technology, all circles of life computing and big data gradually became strategic
had an increasingly mature understanding of AI enablers of AI innovation and development.
Figure 4-7 AI policy keyword co-occurrence diagram from March 2016 to July 2017
● Stage 5: July 2017 – May 2018 This stage saw AI become the No. 1 core AI policy
keyword, followed by other prominent keywords
In July 2017, China released the State Council
such as intellectual property and intellectual rights
Notice on Issuing the “Next Generation Artificial protection. This stage experienced a fever of AI
Intelligence Development Plan”, signifying the development and saw a more pragmatic and more
start of the advancement of next-generation AI. internationally-contextualized understanding of AI
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China AI Development Report 2018
across society, leading to increasing attention paid generation AI showed the characteristic of military-
to the intellectual property and intellectual rights civilian two-way transformation which became a
protection relating to AI technologies. Policies in practical policy benefiting people by promoting
this stage were more targeted as well. In this stage, integration-based innovation in six prioritized
China placed a greater emphasis on building a industries including manufacturing, agriculture,
safe intelligent society, with initiatives including logistics, finance, commerce and home, marking
developing efficient intelligent services, leveraging the beginning of comprehensive AI development
AI to improve public security, and promoting and applications in various sectors of the real
sharing and mutual trust in social interaction. Next- economy.
Figure 4-8 AI policy keyword co-occurrence diagram from July 2017 to May 2018
4.2.3 Citation Network Analysis of China's According to the network graph, it can be seen that
National AI Policy the AI policy at the center include the following:
Thirteenth Five-year Plan on National Economic
In recent years, China's central government has
and Social Development, Made in China 2025,
issued a number of AI policies that are intertwined
Outline of the National Medium- and Long-Term
and cite each other. Figure 4-9 shows the
Program for Science and Technology Development
citation network of China’s central-level AI policy
(2006-2020), National Science, Technology and
documents, where the individual policy documents Innovation Plan for the 13th Five-year Plan Period,
vary in their relationship with other documents Outline of the National Strategy of Innovation-
and their position in the citation network. Each Driven Development, Interim Measures for the
code corresponds to a policy document. The table Management of Special Funds for the Development
of contents of each document can be found on the of the Internet of Things, Report to the 18th CPC
website of the electronic version of this report. National Congress, State Council issued the
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
Guidelines on Promoting the “Internet+” Action, network identifies several groups of documents
State Council Notice on Issuing the Action Outline that are closely related with each other and form
for Promoting the Development of Big Data, relatively independent sub-networks in the overall
and State Council Guidelines on Promoting the network, which are marked in different colors and
Healthy and Orderly Development of the Internet represent six core thematic areas of China's AI
of Things. These documents serve as core policy policies, namely, Made in China, IoT, Internet+, big
and programmatic documents in China’s AI policy data, innovation strategy, and technical research
system and direct and influence the formulation and development.
of other AI policy documents. The AI policy citation
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China AI Development Report 2018
After 2014, with the release of central AI policy The number of such documents issued annually
documents including State Council Notice on peaked in 2016 with 276. The recent release of
Issuing “Made in China 2025”, State Council the State Council Notice on Issuing the “Next
Guidelines on Promoting the “Internet+” Action, Generation Artificial Intelligence Development
State Council Notice on Issuing the Action Outline Plan” has triggered a new round of release of local
government AI policies.
for Promoting the Development of Big Data and
Thirteenth Five-year Plan on National Economic and Jiangsu, Guangdong and Fujian are the top three
Social Development, AI policy documents issued provinces by the number of AI policies issued in
by local governments have grown exponentially. response to the national AI policies.
Heilongjiang 6
Xinjiang 7
Qinghai 9
Hunan 9
Hainan 9
Guangxi 10
Yunnan 10
Ningxia 11
Inner Mongoria 13
Shaanxi 13
Chongqing 15
Jiangxi 18
Jilin 18
Gansu 19
Shanxi 19
Tianjin 23
Beijing 23
Sichuan 25
Hebei 27
Liaoning 29
Hubei 30
Anhui 37
Guizhou 39
Shandong 43
Zhejiang 44
Shanghai 44
Henan 47
Fujian 56
Guangdong 66
Jiangsu 73
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Number of AI policy documents by province
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
From the graph of the number of AI policy documents Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Guangzhou-Hong
by province, it can be seen that three core regions Kong-Macao.
of AI development have emerged—Beijing-Tianjin-
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei has many state-level scientific on strong technical innovation resources, has built
research institutions, numerous research institutes an “AI development cluster” in Xuhui district and
and many innovative industrial parks, and has established the “National Engineering Laboratory
gathered a large number of high-tech talents. for Brain-like Intelligence Technology and
Leveraging its unique advantages in knowledge Application”; and Zhejiang launched an AI town
resources, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei has become development plan to build the China (Hangzhou)
the Asia Pacific’s knowledge innovation center. AI Town in Future Sci-Tech City in Hangzhou, which
By introducing industry development plans, is home to the Zhijiang Lab supported by leading
creating R&D platforms and building industrial research forces from Zhejiang University and
bases, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei has not only driven Alibaba Group.
the development of AI-related industries but
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region,
also preliminarily formed several internationally
represented by Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong
competitive industrial clusters including
Kong and Macau, has also seen local governments
autonomous driving, smart manufacturing, smart
issue multiple AI policy documents, including
healthcare and public services.
Guangzhou Consensus on Artificial Intelligence and
The Yangtze River Delta region is represented by Support Plan of Foshan Municipality on Promoting
Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai. Jiangsu launched Robotics Applications and Industry Development.
the “Jiangsu Brain Plan” to establish a national Shenzhen, though not possessed of the knowledge
AI industry innovation base; Shanghai, located in resource advantages of Beijing and Shanghai, has
the center of the Yangtze River Delta and relying built a high-tech industrialization platform and
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China AI Development Report 2018
become a frontier of China’s efforts to respond to leveraging its professional financial talent forces
AI and other high-tech challenges by leveraging and mature legal system. The government of Macao
international trade liberalization and enabling SAR signed a Strategic Cooperation Framework
quick marketization, productization and wide Agreement on Smart City Development with Alibaba
application of emerging technologies. Hong Kong, Group to apply Alibaba’s leading AI technologies
as an international financial, information and trade to Macao’s city development and build the world’s
center, has become China’s AI technology and largest city AI system.
product market-based transformation center by
4.3.2 Citation Relationship of Provincial- level AI policy documents, where the individual
level AI Policies policy documents vary in their relationship with
other documents and their position in the citation
AI policy documents issued by China’s provincial
governments in recent years have been intertwined network. The table of contents of each document
with mutual citation of each other. Figure 4-14 can be found on the website of the electronic
shows the citation network of China’s provincial- version of this report.
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
Figure 4-14
Graph of provincial policy documents citing central policy documents
It can be seen from Figure 4-14 that policy and connects to other policy clusters through citing
documents represented by the Opinions on policies and thereby directly or indirectly connects
In-depth Implementation of the "Internet + most provincial-level AI policies and plays an
Circulation" Action Plan and the Guidelines irreplaceable guiding role in the entire AI industry
on Promoting the “Internet+” Action and their development process.
corresponding provincial-level citing policies form
4.3.3 Theme Analysis of National and
simple first-level citation networks with no further
Provincial-level AI Policies
policy derivatives, so that each network assumes
a single-core single-level star-like structure. The
● Keyword co-occurrence analysis of national
and provincial AI policy documents
snowflake-shaped networks are core citation
networks represented by Made in China 2025 which Figure 4-15 shows the keyword co-occurrence of
is a single-core multi-center multi-level network national and provincial AI policy documents, which
with a single document serving as its main center. provides an intuitive picture of the relevance of
A citing policy of the core policy that is cited with national and provincial AI policy documents in goals
a higher frequency in a subordinate network and contents. Keyword co-concurrence analysis
becomes a sub-center of the entire network finds that provincial AI policy documents are
which consists of a number of clusters. It can be consistent with central AI policy documents in terms
seen from the graph that Made in China 2025 is a of both direction and content. Specifically, the State
programmatic document in China’s AI development Council Notice on Issuing the “Next Generation
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China AI Development Report 2018
Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” released focused on three aspects, i.e. industry, technology
in July 2017 explicitly specified a three-step policy and application. To be specific, they focused on
of AI development. In line with this policy, local machine learning, smart chips and cloud storage in
governments such as Shanghai, Beijing, Zhejiang, industry; IoT, big data, AI and smart manufacturing
Anhui, Guizhou and Jiangxi formulated their own in technology; and geographic information system,
AI policies. Overall, these local government AI smart grid, smart agriculture, information security
policies were basically consistent with the national and precision medicine in application.
policies in goals and contents. The policy contents
● Keyword co-occurrence analysis of provincial by the graph, AI has had a solid foundation of
AI policy documents development in such areas as unmanned systems,
security, smart home, wearable engineering and
Figure 4-16 shows the keyword co-occurrence of
smart robotics with smart analysis, decision,
provincial AI policy documents, which examines the sensing and control capabilities and enabling
AI policy priority areas of those provinces whose AI technologies in fields including environmental
industries are closer to implementation. As shown monitoring, home security, medicine and health,
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04 AI Development Strategy and Policy Environment
and energy management. All the provincial AI the integration of AI with different industries with
policy documents have been geared to making the emphasis on indigenous innovation and data
advancements in AI enabling technologies and sharing and the application of AI in wide fields
mechanisms such as big data, IoT, indigenous including transportation, geography, economy and
innovation, intellectual property, research result security regulation to accelerate AI development
transformation and data sharing and promoting and uptake for the benefit of all citizens.
While aligning with national AI strategic plans, AI, especially basic AI technologies such as cloud
local government AI policies had their own computing and big data; Guangdong, a strong
characteristics and priorities due to their local manufacturing province with the ability to quickly
conditions, as illustrated by the top three provinces productize technologies, is more concerned
in terms of AI policy documents issued, with with the applications of AI in fields such as
Jiangsu focusing on infrastructure, IoT and cloud manufacturing and robotics while working on basic
computing; Guangdong on infrastructure, smart AI technologies like big data and cloud computing;
manufacturing and robotics, showing a great and Fujian, whose priority area of AI development is
interest in AI applications; and Fujian on IoT, big IoT, has leveraged its IoT industry alliance platform
data, innovation platform and intellectual property and Mawei IoT industry base to build a nationally
rights. A closer look at these differences explains leading IoT sensing and identification industry
that Jiangsu is more concerned with basic R&D of cluster.
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5
Public Perception and General Impact of AI
05 Public Perception and General Impact of AI
5.1 Public Perception of AI attention and became the most trending science
topic of the year. 1High technologies that can
The flourishing of AI is profoundly changing people’s
improve the life of ordinary people tend to have
lives. Half a century ago when AI was sprouting,
a higher reputation and influence. According to
most people would not expect that humans and
Toutiao Index monitoring for the first quarter
machines would be so close. In fact, the discussions
of 2018 (Figure 5-1), analysis of article views,
about human-machine relations have quickly gone
comments and sharing identified March 14 as the
beyond the academic world. From top-down design
peak date in the quarter in terms of the amount of
at the national level to the penetration into various
attention received by AI. The passing away of the
sectors, AI is becoming a powerful engine driving
famous UK physicist Stephen Hawking attracted
disruptive changes.
massive attention from users and triggered many
From 2016 to 2017, AI received 286.3% more commemorative activities online.
180000k
150000k
120000k
90000k
60000k
30000k
0
2018-01-01 2018-01-11 2018-01-21 2018-01-31 2018-02-10 2018-02-20 2018-03-02 2018-03-12 2018-03-22
5.1.1 Survey of Public Perception of AI valid responses. According to the survey, only 6.23%
of the respondents were ignorant of AI, and the
Toutiao conducted a survey of its users from May rest knew about it from news (80.27%) and movies
9 to May 13, 2017, which collected a total of 3,088 (37.25%).
1
AI Impact Report, Toutiao.
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China AI Development Report 2018
80.27%
37.25%
34.46%
12.72%
6.23% 5.32%
AI has penetrated everyday life, but not all are aware had never used any AI products, and 17.68% saying
of it or its effects. Although there was a high level that they were not sure what makes a product an AI
of AI awareness, only 41.58% reported that they product.
had used AI products, with 40.74% stating that they
Not sure
17.68%
41.58%
Yes
40.74%
No
According to the survey, respondents were most civil conduct? (40.36%) All the three questions
interested in how AI development will affect have negative implications, indicating that despite
themselves, with the top three questions being: a supportive attitude towards AI development,
What jobs will be replaced by AI? (46.14%) What people want to know more about the direct risks
harms will AI cause? (43.61%) Will AI become a that AI might bring. For the question, “what worries
subject capable of legal and moral awareness and you the most about AI”, the top three concerns were
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05 Public Perception and General Impact of AI
“AI losing control and causing social crises” (selected with more than 60% of respondents in provinces
by 54.9% of respondents), “AI making wrong including Xinjiang, Shanxi, Guizhou, Anhui and
decisions or judgments” (46.01%), and “AI losing Shandong expressing support. Respondents who
control and causing personal injuries” (45.81%), held a conservative attitude accounted for 28.68%,
Opposing
Not opposing, but the pace of 2.40%
development should be slower 15.77%
28.68%
53.15%
Conservatively supportive Supportive
application scenarios. In the current stage, AI has According to Toutiao Index data, the top four
been applied in fairly wide areas, with the most sectors of AI application in 2017 were finance,
common and familiar forms including autonomous transport, education and healthcare, respectively.
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China AI Development Report 2018
In terms of the attention received for AI application, the financial sector came first, followed by transportation, education and
healthcare.
74,086,506
44,537,069 44,409,062
38,921,867
23,428,550
20,242,275 20,392,619
14,319,629
* Data explanation: The popularity index indicates the amount of attention received by a keyword. It is a weighted value based on a
number of indicators such as views, comments, sharing and favoriting.
* Data monitoring time: January 1 – December 30, 2017
Users over 30 are more interested in AI, with male users showing a significantly greater interest in AI than female users
1.07% 1.04%
0.88%
0.58%
0.45%
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05 Public Perception and General Impact of AI
of views of articles containing AI keywords with tier cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen,
the number of views of all articles in the region. Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Wuhan
The analysis identified Shanghai, Beijing, Hubei, (Figure 5-8).
1 Shanghai 0.77%
2 Beijing 0.75%
3 Hubei 0.62%
4 Guangdong 0.61%
5 Zhejiang 0.61%
0.76%
0.63%
0.55%
0.51%
0.38%
0.15%
Super first-tier cities First-tier cities Second-tier cities Third-tier cities Fourth-tier cities Fifth-tier cities
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China AI Development Report 2018
5.1.3 Public Attitudes towards AI analysis identified a shift of user attitude from
enthusiastic endorsement to reflection on potential
User comments on hot AI-related articles collected
by Toutiao Index from 2016 to 2017 were analyzed negative implications of AI, reflecting a gradually
to show the changes in user attitude to AI. The rational attitude towards AI (as shown in Figure 5-9).
48.71
46.37
* Data description: The user attitude analysis was conducted with technical support from partner Kismet Technology.
* User attitude description: User attitude is analyzed based on over 10,000 hot comments on AI-related articles, where a higher score
indicates a more positive attitude towards AI.
* Data monitoring time: January 1 – December 30, 2017
Optimistic
2016
Anxious Pleased 2017
Surprised Excited
Disgusted Delightful
Scared Inhibited
Angry Sad
Figure 5-10 Changes in user attitude towards AI revealed by user comments from 2016 to 2017
* Data description: The user attitude analysis was conducted with technical support from partner Kismet Technology.
* Data monitoring time: January 1 – December 30, 2017
Data collected from 2016 to 2017 revealed attitude and increasing anxiety, excitement and fear.
shifts marked by decreasing optimism and anger
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05 Public Perception and General Impact of AI
5.2 General Impact of AI on Society many sectors including retail, agriculture, logistics,
education, healthcare, finance and commerce and
With the full development of AI and the greatly reshaped how production, distribution, exchange
increased labor productivity it brings, people will and consumption take place. According to data
be able to live a richer and more colorful life and, from IDC2, the coming five years will see AI be
as they are liberated from manual labor and even applied in more industries and bring substantial
conventional intellectual labor, devote more energy efficiency improvements—82% for education,
to creative activities for fuller development of 71% for retail, 64% for manufacturing and 58% for
humankind and human society. Currently, the rapid finance.
development of AI technology has transformed
Education Retail
82% 71%
Manufacture Finance
64% 58%
AI has been recognized by a broad spectrum of of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, and
people ranging from technologists to sci-fi authors Tesla founder Elon Musk have warned that the
and from intellectual elites to the general public quick development of AI, while bringing great
as the most disruptive and transformative ever conveniences to people, will pose huge potential
innovation in human history and a technology risks and even challenge the existing social values
capable of profoundly changing the world with and the value of the human race itself. They urge
far-reaching implications that cannot be exactly people to rethink the relationship between humans
estimated. A large number of visionary people, and machines and the future of humankind, and to
including Norbert Wiener, the father of automation, ensure such AI systems are made as safe as possible
recently deceased world-renowned scientist before being deployed widely.
Stephen Hawking, Yuval Noah Harari, author
2
IDC China: Artificial Intelligence White Paper: Towards the AI Era Led by Information Flow, 2017
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China AI Development Report 2018
5.2.1 AI's Impact On Education and there will be much higher requirements on students'
Employment ability to import and export information and learn
independently, and the development of innovation
The ultimate purpose of developing AI is not
skills will also become an important direction.
to replace humans but make humans smarter,
where education will play a key role. By increasing With the replacement of humans by machines for an
productivity, AI liberates humans from mechanical, increasing amount of onerous work or manual labor
repetitive or dangerous labor and allows them to as technological development steadily advances,
have more time at their disposal and focus more humans will face unprecedented challenges while
on developing and improving their potential of enjoying the benefits of this replacement. In fact,
innovation, thinking, aesthetic appreciation and more and more people are already worrying about
imagination. From the perspective of knowledge their jobs being taken by AI or the prospect of their
acquisition, with reduced mandatory labor and eking out a living in the shadow of AI. According to an
increased discretionary time, people will be able to estimate of the likelihood of jobs being replaced by AI
acquire more soft knowledge that is closely related in China, the coming 20 years will see approximately
to human emotions and cannot be easily converted 76% of the working force being impacted by AI, or
to data that can be processed by AI and therefore is 65% if only the non-agricultural working force is
more difficult to be learned or grasped by machines. considered3. At the same time, however, AI will also
The intrinsic nature of education determines that create new jobs. According to a survey, Chinese
personalization will be a basic direction of education. technology firms will expand their AI team by an
The talents needed in different periods vary average of 20% annually, and this demand for AI
greatly. In the AI era, personalized learning and specialists will grow further. An expert from the
communication and collaboration on different Education and Examination Center of MIIT said that
dimensions will become the main methods of the demand for AI specialists in China will likely
learning, and students can get more personalized increase to five million in the coming several years.4
learning content support. At present, AI applications
It can be safely averred that as AI transforms
in education are mainly focused on the following
industries and consumption, some jobs will become
areas: adaptive (personalized) learning, virtual
things of the past and at the same time AI will
teaching, educational robot, science and technology
incubate a series of new jobs. On the other hand,
education based on programming and robotics,
the human-machine relations will be restructured
and situational education based on VR/AR. Learning
with the emergence of a new job market where non-
in ways that are working to individual students
routine cognitive jobs will be difficult to replace and
will not only increase learning efficiency but also
have higher requirements on innovation skills, deep
help keep a high level of interest in learning. In-
thinking and imagination.
depth applications of AI in education are not for
the purpose of replacing teachers but to make As mechanization and intelligent automation give
teaching more efficient and fulfilling for teachers. rise to a new employment landscape, vigilance needs
Furthermore, in the AI-enabled educational system, to be exercised with respect to ensuing issues such
3
Chen Yongwei, “How AI Will Impact Employment”, Journal of Northeast University of Finance and Economics, No. 3, 2013
4
AI: Job Destroyer or Job Creator
http://www.xinhuanet.com/tech/2018-02/26/c_1122452172.htm
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05 Public Perception and General Impact of AI
as rising unemployment, widening wealth gap and and personal information in AI-supported smart
social instability. The impact of AI will be continuous healthcare, how to regulate hospitals' acquisition
and so will its multifaceted impact on education and and use of patients' private data, and the copyright
employment. Therefore, it is necessary to explore of AI-generated works. The open industry ecosystem
the educational and employment mechanisms that will also make it difficult for regulatory authorities
match and adapt to the technological revolution. to determine the objects of regulation and blur the
boundaries of laws.
5.2.2 AI's Impact on Privacy and Security
The wide use of AI will bring about a radical change
Today, personalized experience has been
in human-machine relations in the form of a new
emphasized in many consumption scenarios as
mutually embedded relationship as human-machine
personally and situationally relevant services
interaction becomes increasingly complex. The
gradually become one of the main directions of
unpredictability and irreversibility of the blurring
AI-driven innovation. With information access
of time and space and of virtual reality and reality
increasingly based on social media and user
will likely trigger a series of potential risks. Unlike
attention being more and more fragmented,
information leakage that is often neglected by
service providers will strive to create more flexible
people, AI may be used by people with a secret
and convenient consumption scenarios and
agenda for fraud and other criminal activities, such as
provide better user experiences. Meanwhile, the
impersonation fraud on social media based on data
development and maturing of speech recognition,
profiling of personal information illegally obtained
face recognition and other capabilities derived from
and security breach with information including
machine learning algorithms will allow businesses to
image, video, audio and biometric information
get an unprecedented understanding of customers
based on AI-enabled learning and simulation, as
based on customer profile analysis and provide more
demonstrated by the hacking last year of iPhone's
satisfying experiences through precisely targeted
face ID system. In terms of potential risk, many things
and differentiated services. On the other hand, this
such as drones, autonomous cars and intelligent
ability, while promising an enormous business value,
robots are vulnerable to intrusion and unauthorized
will pose some challenges to the existing regulatory
control for fraudulent or other criminal purposes.
framework and public security.
5.2.3 AI's Impact on Social Equality
The virtual online space makes it easy for the
collection and sharing of personal data and greatly As AI R&D and applications make giant strides, a
facilitates the storage, analysis and exchange series of value issues have gradually surfaced. At
of information including identity IDs, health present, there are still a lot of internet illiterates and
information, credit records, and location and old-timers who are defined as “outsiders” in the AI
movement information. However, at the same era which has even higher requirements on people’s
time, this makes it more difficult to determine how educational level and technology literacy5. As AI
personal information was leaked and the degree technology advances, the digital divide will widen
of leakage. Examples include how to define the even further and translate into a divide in access to
ownership of patients' electronic medical records services and benefits. In the AI era, it will become
5
Sun Weiping. “Reflection on the Value of AI”, Philosophical Researches, No. 10, 2017
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China AI Development Report 2018
even more difficult for the “outsiders” to access as well as basic mathematics courses such as
convenient intelligent information services and probability and mathematical statistics, numerical
scarce service resources. analysis and mathematical planning, and also
courses related to engineering and natural sciences
For human society, AI technology should be for the
and humanities.
benefit of all in accordance with the principle of
equality and has the benefits and conveniences it Since the Ministry of Education approval of the
brings accessible to as many people as possible. "Intelligent Science and Technology" undergraduate
At the Beneficial AI conference held in Asilomar program at Peking University in 2004, higher
in the United States in early 2017, the “Asilomar education in AI has attracted more and more
AI Principles” were emphasized, i.e. developing attention from universities. By July 2017, there
AI in a way that is safe, transparent, responsible, had been as many as 36 universities approved by
accountable, contributable to society and for the the Ministry of Education to offer the "Intelligent
6
benefit of the majority of people. The best way to Science and Technology" undergraduate program,
promote harmonious and positive human-machine in addition to 79 programs related to AI7. Universities
relations is to make public services benefit all regions, including University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,
all industries and all groups equally. Therefore, amid Xidian University, Nanjing University, Chongqing
rapid AI development, it is necessary to think and University of Posts and Telecommunications, Hunan
come up with methods of using AI to improve basic University of Technology, Changchun University
public service platforms to steadily narrow the digital of Science and Technology, Tianjin University and
divide, build an efficient, developed and livable Nankai University have established their AI colleges.8
intelligent society, advance social inclusiveness and
sustainable development, and create a beautiful In terms of undergraduate education, the Next
future where the benefits of technology are enjoyed Generation Artificial Intelligence Development
by all citizens. Plan issued by the State Council in 2017 clearly
pointed out that it is necessary to “improve the AI
5.3 Survey of China's AI Education discipline structure, establish the AI specialty, and
promote AI as a first-level discipline”, and requires
5.3.1 Current Situation of China's AI
AI pilot universities to establish their AI colleges as
Education Development
soon as possible. The Argumentation Report on
As an interdisciplinary emerging technology field, Intelligence Science and Technology as a First-level
AI involves various disciplines such as computer Discipline issued by Chinese Association for Artificial
science, mathematics, neuroscience, statistics, Intelligence (CAAI) made the suggestion that the first-
electronic information engineering and automation. level discipline Intelligence Science and Technology”
The basic courses in the field of AI mainly include be divided into five second-level disciplines
basic computer courses such as programming including “brain cognition”, “machine perception
language, algorithm design and data structure, and pattern recognition”, “natural language
6
Duan Weiwen. “Value Examination and Ethical Regulation in the AI Era”, Journal of Renmin University of China, No. 6, 2017
7
Data source: “Call for AI as a first-level discipline”, Guangming Daily http://epaper.gmw.cn/gmrb/html/2017-07/28/
nw.D110000gmrb_20170728_1-06.htm
8
Data source: Nankai University and Tianjin University inaugurate AI colleges on the same day, focusing on robotics and brain
cognitionhttps://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2133192
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05 Public Perception and General Impact of AI
Source: 2017 Global Artificial Intelligence Talent White Paper , Tencent Research Institute
In addition to degree programs at universities, Currently, major active online education platforms
there are various online learning platforms in include study.163.com, www.xuetangx.com, www.
China that offer AI courses and serve as a necessary mooc.cn and www.icourse163.org.
supplement to the AI academic education.
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China AI Development Report 2018
Question 1: Have you ever taken an AI course? [Single-select multiple choice question]
More than half of the 1,154 respondents have taken some sort of AI course (52.34%).
Question 2: Which of the following technologies did your courses cover? [Multi- select multiple choice question]
Among the AI courses, “artificial intelligence (deep learning)” and “image recognition” are the
(principles and technology)”, “machine learning top three most popular courses.
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05 Public Perception and General Impact of AI
Question 3: At what stage of education did you take your AI course? [Single- select multiple choice question]
Master course
24.63%
Undergraduate
course 48.10%
Question 4: At what type of institutions did you take your AI course? [Multi- select multiple choice question]
University 60.33%
University and online education are the top two platforms of AI course.
Question 5: At what university did you take your AI course? [Fill-in-the-blank question]
Non-985 985
universities universities 9
55% 45%
Note: Based on the number of respondents, the pie chart reflects the proportion of respondents who have studied artificial
intelligence courses at a certain type of institution (985/non-985).
9
a group of elite universities in China, as identified by the “985 Program”
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China AI Development Report 2018
Question 6: At what school/department did you take your AI course? [Multi- select multiple choice question]
Question 7: On what online platform did you take your AI course? [Multi-select multiple choice question]
study.163.com 54.81%
www.xuetangx.com 46.76%
www.mooc.cn 35.35%
www.icourse163.org 29.98%
www.imooc.com 24.38%
www.coursera.org 23.04%
www.edx.org 17.23%
www.icourses.cn 16.33%
www.wanmen.org 4.92%
Other platforms 0.67%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
The main online platforms reported include study.163.com, www.xuetangx.com and www.mooc.cn.
Question 8: Do you think your AI course was helpful? [Single-select multiple choice question]
No, 11, 2%
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05 Public Perception and General Impact of AI
Question 9: In what ways do you think your AI course helped you? [Multi select multiple choice question]
Only approximately 38% of the respondents stated that their AI courses expanded their job opportunities.
The AI courses benefited the respondents mainly by way of acquisition of relevant knowledge and skills and
strengthening their understanding of relevant industries.
Question 10: How much time did you devote to your AI course? (Weekly average) [Single-select multiple
choice question]
>20h
9%
<10h
30%
10~20h
61%
Approximately 61% of the respondents spent 10-20 hours on their AI courses per week.
Question 11: How much money did you spend on your AI course? [Single-select multiple choice question]
No,
14.05%
<1000,
59.34% >1000,
26.61%
The majority of the respondents spent less than RMB 1,000 on their AI courses.
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China AI Development Report 2018
Question 12: What AI-related courses do you want to learn in the future? [Multi- select multiple choice
question]
Female, Male,
53.03% 46.97%
The respondents had a rather balanced gender ratio, with female respondents (approximately 53%) slightly
outnumbering male respondents.
10~20,
4.50%
>40,
10.38%
20~30,
57.18% 30~40,
27.94%
More than half of the respondents (57%) were in the 20-30 age group.
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05 Public Perception and General Impact of AI
PhD, 3.20%
Teacher 8.91%
Researcher , 9%
Technician in related
industries
28.63% Non-technical worker
11.68%
Student Other
24.22% 17.56%
The respondents were dominated by students (approximately 24%) and technicians (approximately 29%).
The survey found that the majority of the respondents by the school (department) of computer science,
had a strong enthusiasm for AI learning, with 61% school (department) of automation, school
spending 10-20 hours on AI learning per week and (department) of science (mathematics) and school
85% expressing willingness to take paid courses. In (department) of electronic information engineering.
terms of the channels of learning, online platforms Technicians in related industries, researchers and
have become an important channel of AI courses; students are the most enthusiastic groups for AI
among universities, AI courses are mainly offered learning.
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6
Reflection and Outlook
06 Reflection and Outlook
6.1 Summary and Reflection optimistic. China’s strengths are mainly shown in AI
applications and it is still weak on the front of core
Based on existing research reports and the above
technologies of AI, such as hardware and algorithm,
findings in this report, we can arrive at the following
pointing to its not entirely solid foundation of AI
preliminary judgments and observations on China’s
development. Furthermore, although China’s AI
AI development.
talents are next to the United States’ in number, if
China has ranked among leading countries in AI only top-tier talents are considered, there is still a
technology development and market applications significant gap with the United States, the United
and is indeed in a race of “two giants” with the Kingdom and Germany. As noted in Goldman
United States. In terms of technology output, Sachs’ report, China’s Rise in Artificial Intelligence1,
industry development and applications, China is China’s leading AI enterprises are mainly powered by
still significantly behind the United States overall returned overseas top talents. McKinsey’s Road to the
but well ahead of other developed countries such Future of Artificial Intelligence2 report also attributed
as the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and China’s trailing far behind leading western countries
France. China is also behind the United States in the in core algorithms to the lack of top-tier AI talents.
number of AI talents and enterprises but takes the University of Oxford’s report, Deciphering China’s
lead in indicators such as AI papers and patents. AI Dream3, which compared China and the United
In some specific fields like computer vision and States on the four dimensions of hardware, data,
intelligent speech recognition, China has been in an algorithm and commercial system, found that China
internationally leading position in both technology had a clear advantage on the data dimension only,
development and market applications. With respect and that its overall AI potential is only half of the
to cities, Beijing has become the world’s top AI city United States’. Therefore, China still faces a significant
in terms of talent, enterprises, research institutions gap with the world-leading level in the core areas of AI
and venture capital. Overall, in the strategic field of development.
AI, China has secured a head start and will maintain
In terms of the entities engaged in AI research,
a growing momentum to achieve the goal of
research institutes and universities are the main
becoming a leading country in AI by 2030.
generators of AI knowledge in the world. According
However, as far as the quality of development is to the Artificial Intelligence Index 2017 report4, part
concerned, China’s AI development is far from being of Stanford University’s One Hundred Year Study
1
Goldman Sachs. China’s Rise in Artificial Intelligence , 2017
2
McKinsey, Road to the Future of Artificial Intelligence , 2017
3
Jeffrey Ding, University of Oxford, Deciphering China’s AI Dream—The context, components, capabilities, and consequences of China’s
strategy to lead the world in AI, 2018
4
Stanford One Hundred Year Study on AI,University, Artificial Intelligence Index 2017, 2017. http://aiindex.org/
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China AI Development Report 2018
on AI (AI100), academic activity is the main driving universities and research institutions in AI patenting.
force of AI’s stable development in its budding phase Even recognized domestic AI giants such as Baidu,
in the United States. The same thing is also true in Alibaba and Tencent (BAT) don’t have an impressive
China where research institutes and universities performance in AI talent, papers and patents, while
have generated the overwhelming majority of AI their U.S. competitors like IBM, Microsoft and Google
knowledge. Researchers from research institutes and lead AI companies worldwide in all indicators.
universities represent 89% of all AI talents in China Goldman Sachs’ report, China’s Rise in Artificial
and are also leading forces in AI paper publication Intelligence, found that while Chinese internet giants
and patent application. Some research institutions have comparable R&D expenditure as a percentage
and universities, such as the Chinese Academy of of revenue, they are left far behind by their U.S.
Sciences System and Tsinghua University, have counterparts in terms of the absolute amount.
become the powerhouses of China’s AI technology China, though already the world’s second largest
development and held an important position in the AI ecosystem, still faces a significant gap with the
world as well. However, it should also be realized United States.
that the substantial increase of scientific papers
published by Chinese researchers in recent years In terms of leading enterprises, SGCC is the most
has been on the one hand attributable to China’s prominent enterprise in both AI paper publication
continuously increasing investment in R&D but and AI patenting, which not only leads other Chinese
on the other hand also had much to do with the enterprises by a big margin but also is high-ranked
orientation in China’s researcher evaluation system. power engineering is a prominent field. The fact that
In spite of the impressive growth of high-impact it has been either unmentioned or not highlighted in
papers published by Chinese researchers in this field, previous AI studies shows that the integration of AI
research achievements that are original, ground- with energy systems is likely an area that has been
breaking or seminal, especially in basic research, are more or less neglected and represents a potential
still very scarce. new direction of expansion of AI applications in China
which will contribute to low-carbon transformation of
China is already the world's largest patent applicant
the energy sector. This example also demonstrates
and the largest invention patent applicant and has
that it is ill-advisable to confine AI research to a
more AI patent applications than the United States
number of emerging application areas and that
as well. However, it should be soberly realized that
the integration of AI with traditional sectors might
China’s rapid patent growth—if not explosion—
represent a more promising direction.
in recent years, while propelled by the country’s
economic transformation and transition from International collaboration and industry-university
factor-driven to innovation-driven, has had much collaboration are important means of advancing AI
to do with all kinds of incentive policies, including development. As many as 42.64% of top papers on AI
performance evaluation indicators. Moreover, a large in the world were from international collaboration,
part of the patent applications in this field has been versus 53% for China. As countries have different
technological applications rather than underlying priorities and strength areas in AI development,
principles and key technologies. Compared to their international collaboration is significant by
foreign counterparts, Chinese AI companies are combining strengths and overcoming weaknesses
technologically less inventive and far behind domestic and thereby promoting technological innovation
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06 Reflection and Outlook
and should be encouraged and facilitated. At the for AI development. Policy keyword analysis found
same time, it should be noted that there is a lot of that local governments have shown a tendency of
AI knowledge lying idle at Chinese universities and “following the steps of the central government” and
research institutions, and it is imperative to increase “chasing after hot areas”, raising the issue of how to
industry-university collaboration to promote avoid the problem of “redundant investment” which
AI knowledge application and transformation. has frequently occurred in traditional industries and
According to the statistics, China’s AI papers resulting emerging strategic industries while promoting the
from collaboration between research institutes and sound development of AI, which policymakers need
enterprises accounted for only 2.55% of its all AI to come to grips with, especially in the new context
papers, versus more than 6% for the United States, of pursuing high-quality development. On the other
the United Kingdom, France and Germany. The hand, our survey has shown some worry and doubt
researchers at big international technology firms of the public about AI development, a sentiment
represented by Microsoft, Google and IBM have that has increased with media reports on relevant
not only filed for many patents, but also published issues. Currently, China’s AI policy has emphasized
a large number of papers, including high-impact on promoting AI technological development and
papers. Some small and medium-sized technology industrial applications and hasn’t given due attention
firms, such as Deep-Mind and OpenAI, have even to such issues as ethics and security regulation. There
come to the forefront of AI research. AI is unlike are two extremes of view on AI, one considering AI
traditional research areas in that the required as a "cure-all" and the other demonizing it. How to
resources such as data and computing power properly guide the public opinion and attitude, strike
are controlled by large companies, meaning that a good balance between promoting AI development
they have better conditions than universities and and putting AI development in an effective regulatory
research institutes to conduct research and tackle framework, and avoid the various negative issues
frontier issues. Therefore, to advance research and that have previously occurred in other areas such as
applications in frontier areas of AI, China needs to not genetically modified food, will be a challenge and test
only encourage university-industry collaboration but of the government's governance ability and wisdom.
also explicitly support enterprises to engage in basic AI
research. 6.2 Research Limitations and
Prospect
With respect to the environment of AI development
in China, both the central government and local At present, AI still lacks a clear universal definition,
governments have released policies in support of a tricky issue that is all too often encountered in the
AI development; the capital market has shown a research of this emerging area. Although this report is
great enthusiasm for AI; most citizens have shown based on a list of AI keywords strictly scrutinized and
an optimistic attitude towards AI and a high interest validated by experts, it cannot completely exclude
in AI products; and there are all kinds of AI courses activities which do not have much to do with core
offered by universities and online education AI technologies. The use of keyword co-occurrence
platforms which have been well received by young search as well as bibliometrics to identify AI academic
people. All these factors point to Chinese society's output may lead to a broader, looser scope of data
overall positive and optimistic attitude to AI, which included. Given AI is an emerging phenomenon,
has provided a very favorable environment in a lot of industry statistics such as sales, corporate
terms of policy, public opinion, market and talent R&D, and gross product value are not up to date,
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China AI Development Report 2018
and therefore the industry development data in this encourage university-industry collaboration to make
report may not reflect the complete picture, which enterprises a major force in AI innovation. China’s
requires a set of more clear-cut criteria and more AI policy research, which has so far tilted towards
data investigation. Due to data availability, AI talent industry development and industry progress, should
in this report is confined to researchers who have be more focused on the social impact and ethical
published AI papers or patents and thus AI specialists implications of AI. AI technology development should
working in the industries may be less represented. be accompanied by social foresight with a view to
Moreover, this report only examines the overall supporting policymaking that steers AI development
development of AI without scrutinizing its vertical in anticipation of the technology roadmap and
areas such as infrastructure, hardware and data. All potential social impacts. Meanwhile, it is important
these are very important pillars of AI development to create mechanisms of public engagement in
and will be further examined in our future research. policy-making so that policies reflect and incorporate
China’s AI development already enjoys very inputs from all sectors of society. Universities,
favorable conditions in the form of not only a vast research institutions and specialized research teams
application market and rich data but also strong should also organize seminars and create relevant
policy support from the central government and technical standards and norms and incorporate
local governments. But for China to become an AI them in their educational or research activities.
superpower, the journey ahead is long and arduous. Finally, China should get actively involved in the
China must strengthen basic research, optimize global governance of AI and play a prominent role in
the research environment, develop and attract relevant areas such as AI technology development,
top-tier talent, and make breakthroughs in core risk prevention and formulation of AI ethics norms
basic areas of AI to put the country's development to advance AI development for a beautiful future of
on a solid foundation. Meanwhile, China needs to human society.
| 107 |
Appendix
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China AI Development Report 2018
Basic algorithm and platform Machine learning, deep learning, open source framework, open platform
| 109 |
Appendix
International
Electrotechnical Wearable devices No specific standard released for the moment
Commission (IEC)
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China AI Development Report 2018
The U.S. AI policy documents are mainly from the Management and Budget under it. Their websites
Executive Office of the President and the National are as follows:
Science and Technology Council and Office of
The AI policy documents for other countries sciences and related councils. Their websites are as
or regions are from their relevant government follows:
authorities, parliaments, national academies of
http://hamlyn.doc.ic.ac.uk/
UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council https://subtleengine.org/
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government
UK AI experts https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government
Data source of China’s AI policy documents: of Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and
China’s AI policy documents are retrieved from the Management.
Government Documents Information System (GDIS)
| 111 |
Working Group and Acknowledgement
Academic Advisers
Prof. Pan Yunhe, Member of Chinese Academy of Engineering
Prof. Wu hequan, Member of Chinese Academy of Engineering
Overall Planning
China Institute for Science and
Technology Policy at Tsinghua University: Xue Lan, Liang Zheng, Dai Yixin, Deng Xinghua,
Li Daitian, Yu Zhen, Yang Fangjuan
Acknowledgement
The preparation of this report received guidance and assistance from the following experts and scholars, to whom
we express our heartfelt thanks for their support. Special thanks to Jack Clark from Open AI for polishing this report.
School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University Prof. Meng Qingguo, Prof. Yang Yongheng,
Assoc. Prof. Zhang Nan, Assoc. Prof. Zhou Yuan
School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University Prof. Li Zhengfeng,
Prof. Zhang Chenggang, Dr Chen Shouzhu
School of Law, Tsinghua University Prof. Shen Weixing, Assoc. Prof. Cui Guobin,
Dr He Yuan
Department of Automation, Tsinghua University Prof. Zhang Tao, Prof. Zhang Zuo, Prof.
Zhao Qianchuan
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China AI Development Report 2018
| 113 |
About the Authoring Organizations
Sponsoring Organizations:
清华大学中国科技政策研究中心
China Institute for Science and Technology Policy at Tsinghua University
The China Institute for Science and Technology strategic research on national medium- and long-
Policy (CISTP) at Tsinghua University is a science term education reform and development plan,
and technology policy and development strategy evaluation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences'
research institute jointly founded by the Ministry pilot project of knowledge innovation, research
of Science and Technology of China and Tsinghua on the revision of the Law on Progress of Science
University in 2003. Positioned as an international and Technology, Chinese Academy of Engineering
research institute with a high starting point, broad advisory research on China's 11th Five-year Plan,
horizon and visionary foresight with the focus and "Research on China's National Innovation
on the strategy of national invigoration through System and Innovation Policy" (collaboration with
science and technology, sustainable development OECD). It has built remarkable expertise in research
strategy and long-term national development areas including national innovation system and
goals, CISTP conducts theoretical and applied S&T globalization and published academic articles
research on international S&T development in domestic and international high-level learned
trends, national S&T development strategy and journals including Management World, China Soft
related public policy and aims to become a Science, Studies in Science of Science and Nature,
leading institution in S&T policy and development with some research reports and policy suggestions
strategy. Since its establishment, it has taken part having been commented by national leaders with
in or undertaken a series of important research instructions and adopted and implemented by
projects, including strategic research on national relevant policymaking bodies.
medium- and long-term S&T development plan,
The Government Documents Center at Tsinghua platform for disciplinary development, provides
University School of Public Policy and Management rich policy data and bibliometrics-based empirical
(SPPM-GDC), established in 2005 as a research research support for the development of the
| 114 |
China AI Development Report 2018
public policy and management discipline in China annually. The center has a proprietary government
and provides policymaking bodies with detailed documents information management system
comprehensive policy data and advisory and (IPolicy) which consists of data collection and
research support. The center has collected more input, full-text indexing and bibliometric analysis
than 1.6 million policy documents issued by China’s modules with extensive functions including new
central government and local governments since documents collection, formatted input, centralized
1949 in a steadily expanding database with an management, online query, model analysis and
addition of more than 150,000 policy documents thematic customization.
ScientistIn is an important platform serving with data support, on a mission to seek value for
innovation-driven regional development initiated knowledge. ScientistIn currently has a Chinese
by Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua expert database with 11 million entries and an
University, Zhejiang. Operated by Beijing Saishi international expert database with 6.5 million
Technology Co., Ltd. founded by a Tsinghua- entries, including 4 million reachable; a patent
Harvard team with investment from the Institute, database with more than 18 million entries; an S&T
ScientistIn is committed to integrating wisdom and project database with 500,000 entries; a database
expertise of Chinese scientists worldwide to provide of 800,000 Chinese technology companies; and
process services for enterprises’ technology-driven S&T big data resources including local government
business transformation and provide policymakers industry plans nationwide.
Clarivate Analytics is the global leader in providing businesses discover new ideas, protect innovation,
trusted insights and analytic. We enable trailblazers and achieve commercialization. We offer some
around the world to turn novel ideas into disruptive of the most trusted brands across the innovation
innovation and accelerate the pace of innovation lifecycle, including Web of Science™ (including
and internationalization. We support the innovation Science Citation Index, i.e. SCI), InCites™, Derwent
and internationalization of global customers with Innovation™, Derwent World Patents Index™ (DWPI),
comprehensive intellectual property and S&T Cortellis™, CompuMarkMark™, Monitor ® and
information and decision support tools and services Techstreet™, among others.
and help governments, academics, publishers and
| 115 |
About the Authoring Organizations
China Academy of Information and Communications research for long-term industry development",
Technology (CAICT), established in 1957, is a public CAICT has provided a strong support in many
research institution directly under the Ministry of aspects including major strategies, plans, policies,
Industry and Information Technology. Positioned standards, testing and certification of industry
as a national high-level specialized think tank development and played an important role in
and an industry innovation and development driving the leap-frog development and take-off of
platform and steeped in the core values of "solid China's ICT industry.
Beijing Bytedance Technology Co., Ltd., founded in conveniently and helps all types of media better
March 2012, is the world’s first company to apply AI adapt to the mobile Internet era. While consolidating
to its main products. With the migration of reading its position in the domestic market, Bytedance has
behavior to mobile devices, Bytedance has achieved proactively made deployments internationally and
rapid development and established a superb aims to become a world-leading mobile Internet
reputation and influence in the industry. Bytedance company that provides advanced mobile Internet-
allows content creators to distribute content more based information distribution services globally.
About CIEDS: The Chinese Institute of Engineering strategies in China and create a first-rate engineering
Development Strategies (CIEDS) was jointly thinktank platform. Oriented to high-level, open-
established by the Chinese Academy of Engineering ended and forward-looking development with the
and Tsinghua University in April 2011 to improve focus on holistic, general and strategic research
the level of research on engineering development projects in engineering science and technology
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China AI Development Report 2018
development based on theoretical and applied theoretical issues of engineering development and
research, policy advice, pre-planning research and building a database of engineering development
personnel training, CIEDS strives to build a leading strategy and policy documents; 3) conducting
strategy research institute featuring "small entity, large research on theories, methods and processes of
alliance, network-based collaboration" and a top-level engineering development strategy formation and
thinktank in engineering science and technology and advancing relevant disciplines relating to engineering
an important member of China's high-level thinktank development; 4) developing research, teaching and
network. Its main functions include 1) undertaking management personnel in engineering development
engineering development strategies advisory research strategies; 5) providing engineering strategy advisory
projects of the Chinese Academy of Engineering services for large enterprises, public institutions and
and providing advisory services for the strategic social organizations; and 6) advancing international
policymaking of the state and relevant ministries and exchange and cooperation in engineering development
commissions; 2) conducting research on important strategy research.
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contact our communications manager at the following address tanghb15@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn.
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China Institute for Science and Technology Policy at Tsinghua University
Add: School of Public Policy & Management, Tsinghua University, Haidian, Beijing, 100084, China
Tel: +861062797212
E-mail: cistp@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Website: http://cistp.sppm.tsinghua.edu.cn/
清华大学中国科技政策研究中心
China Institute for Science and Technology Policy at Tsinghua University