Shanghai Spawns a New Generation of AI Startups – SyncedReview – Medium

A typical JD motorcycle deliveryman in Shanghai delivers 100 packages per day, racing along the city's waterfront, navigating tiny alleyways and darting between the city's skyscrapers. That may seem impressive but JD is still striving to improve motorcycle delivery efficiency with new tech -- much of it AI-powered. Shanghai is home to 24 million people and some 2 million businesses -- many of which are highly competitive tech companies. In this environment, startups must either excel quickly or risk being left behind. Rising Shanghai social E-commerce startup Pinduoduo needed just three years to reach a gross merchandise volume of 100 billion units -- it took first-generation tech giants Alibaba and JD five and ten years respectively to reach the same milestone. A half-hour subway ride from People's Square in the city centre is Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, where many Shanghai tech industries are clustered.