How China is Becoming a World Leader in Artificial Intelligence - China Briefing News

On March 5, at the opening meeting of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature's annual session, Premier Li Keqiang announced that China will accelerate research and development (R&D) in new and emerging industries, such as artificial intelligence (AI). It is the first time that China's highest national meeting has included AI in the Government Work Report. The report's singling out of AI indicates Beijing's prioritization of the industry in its economic agenda, and therefore its determination to support its growth. In recent years, China's leadership has been increasingly thinking about how to ensure their competitive edge in the AI industry. The acceleration of China's policy efforts to advance AI development began in 2014, when President Xi Jinping called for innovation and breakthroughs in science and technology, including AI, at the opening ceremony of the 17th Congress of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.