Cover News:

What is the current state of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry in China? How will this conference reflect the use of the targeted empowerment of AI? Thank you.

Zhao Zeliang:

First, you can find the answer in the Wuzhen Summit. I believe that AI must be the focus of this year's Wuzhen Summit.

From main forums to sub-forums and from the "Straight to Wuzhen" Global Internet Competition to the Release of World Leading Internet Scientific and Technological Achievements, I believe that there is a large amount of information about AI technical products. 

Hence, I suggest that you go to Wuzhen to listen and participate in discussions to find answers to your questions. However, I will outline some ideas about this issue in advance for your reference.

In recent years, with the rapid improvement of internet technology and big data technology, especially computing and communication capabilities, and the widespread application of perception technology, AI has indeed entered a new stage of development.

Artificial intelligence not only embodies deep learning, such as natural language processing and text processing, but also the synthesis of our voices and text. One day in the future, with the application and development of AI technology, it will be possible that AI technology will write news faster than all you journalists.

But don't worry, you won't lose your job, and you will become smarter with time.

We have seen much progress in human-machine collaboration and the widespread application of AI in automatic control. The popular idea of intelligent vehicles has become a reality. So, AI has entered a new stage of development. AI is not just an industry. I think it will profoundly change the way we live, study, and work. It may also greatly promote social and economic development. I believe AI development will give rise to more new products, technologies, industries, business forms, and models. All these will greatly promote the development of human society and bring tangible benefits to the common people.

Many countries, including China, are paying significant attention to AI development. China has formulated a national plan to boost its AI-related technologies. We need to support AI development, as it will likely become a driving force in social development and a new growth engine. At the same time, we need to develop AI in a rational and rule-based way. AI can greatly benefit society and promote development. However, like everything else, AI may also have negative effects. People are concerned about personal information collection and privacy protection. With the further development of AI, such challenges will become more serious and potential risks more visible. In the era of AI, to protect the safety and interests of netizens and safeguard national security, we should regard these issues as being no less important than economic growth. We should fully implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's instructions and balance development and security. This is especially important for AI development.

We also need to strengthen cooperation on AI development. As I said just now, AI integrates technologies in various fields, including the internet, information and communication, big data, computing, and perception. We need to strengthen cooperation, especially international cooperation, to accelerate and better regulate AI development. That's my view on these issues, but the real answers will be provided in Wuzhen. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

The CAC and Zhejiang province have sent invitations. We welcome journalists to the 2021 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit scheduled to take place from Sept. 26 to 28. That's all for today's press conference. Thank you, all the speakers. Thank you, friends from the media. Goodbye!

Translated and edited by Zhu Bochen, Wang Qian, Gao Zhan, Huang Shan, Wang Yiming, Liu Sitong, Liu Jianing, Yuan Fang, Yang Xi, Chen Xia, Li Xiao, Zhang Liying, Zhang Rui, Liu Qiang, Xiang Bin, Zhou Jing, Wang Mengru, Zhang Junmian, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.