This Chinese Facial Recognition Surveillance Company Is Now the World's Most Valuable AI Startup

SenseTime Group has raised $600 million from Alibaba Group Holding (baba) and other investors at a valuation of more than $3 billion, becoming the world's most valuable artificial intelligence startup. The company, which specializes in systems that analyze faces and images on an enormous scale, said it closed a Series C round in recent months in which Singaporean state investment firm Temasek Holdings and retailer Suning.com. SenseTime didn't outline individual investments, but Alibaba was said to have sought the biggest stake in the three-year-old startup. With the deal, SenseTime has doubled its valuation in a few months. Backed by Qualcomm (qcom), it underscores its status as one of a crop of homegrown firms spearheading Beijing's ambition to become the leader in AI by 2030.