The 2023 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai shed light on the rapid advancements in AI technology by Chinese companies such as DeepSeek and ByteDance. These companies are not only competing with OpenAI’s ChatGPT but are developing AI models that extend beyond chatbot functionality.
A notable example is Baidu, famous for its search engine and Ernie chatbot. Baidu has integrated generative AI into its Wenku platform, allowing quick creation of powerpoints and other documents. As per recent reports, the platform has amassed 40 million paying users and has witnessed a revenue rise of 60% from the previous year. The platform has begun rolling out updated features, such as generating presentations based on financial filings, to its users.
According to Gartner’s data and analytics director analyst, Ben Yan, over 10% of Chinese businesses are using generative AI, a significant increase from 8% six months ago. Yan pointed out that the adoption of AI agents would expedite the corporate use of this new technology.
AI models are specialized for specific tasks like search and summarizing, whereas AI agents can automate entire processes, from search to booking, as demonstrated by OpenAI’s new “Operator” function. This new breed of AI agents is also poised to enter the Chinese market on a large scale.
Tech giant Tencent plans to integrate AI agents into its popular messaging and social media app, WeChat. This move is expected to further accelerate the pace of AI advancement in China. The AI development in China is creating features that are being integrated into local smartphones, which are yet to be seen in foreign brands like Apple.
The Chinese smartphone makers such as Honor, Xiaomi, and Vivo have been able to enhance user experiences with AI features that can operate efficiently on the device without relying heavily on an internet-connected cloud service.
However, the path to AI advancement is not without challenges. Compliance issues pose a significant hurdle, particularly when it comes to granting AI access to proprietary data or using AI-generated content commercially. International corporations are often more cautious than local brands due to copyright and legal concerns, as noted by Chris Reitermann, CEO of Ogilvy Asia-Pacific and Greater China.
Despite these challenges, Chinese AI applications are finding use globally. Alibaba’s international division recently announced that Accio, its AI-powered search engine for product sourcing, had reached half a million small business users. Accio has managed to reduce research time from weeks to a day, offering a significant boost to small businesses around the globe.
In conclusion, the rapid development of AI technology in China is set to revolutionize industries at a global scale, presenting a promising prospect for investors and tech enthusiasts alike.
