China's Didi Chuxing opens AI research lab in Beijing

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing has unveiled the next stage in its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts with the opening a new AI research lab in Beijing. The move comes one month after the company announced a fresh $4 billion in funding, taking the company's total inbound investment to nearly $20 billion since its inception. At the time, the company said that it planned to use the cash to increase its push into AI and support its global expansion. At a launch event in Beijing today, Didi Chuxing said that its new AI Labs was set up to "push the boundaries of transportation innovation," working in conjunction with the AI hub it launched in Silicon Valley last March. Indeed, the U.S. has emerged as a key area of focus for Chinese technology companies looking to expand their AI initiatives, with internet giant Baidu opening a Silicon Valley arm dedicated to self-driving cars back in 2016, before expanding its presence in the area with a new AI research base a year later.