Saturday, January 6, 2018

Take that Toronto: "Beijing to build $2 billion AI research park: Xinhua"

Toronto prides itself on being both a center of A.I. research and a city of the future, what with Google kin Sidewalk Labs hooking up with the city to develop same.
But no one is talking a $2 billion investment.

From Reuters:
Beijing is planning to build a 13.8 billion yuan ($2.12 billion) artificial intelligence development park in the city’s west, the official Xinhua news agency reported, as China pushes ahead to fulfill its ambition to become a world leader in AI by 2025.

The AI park will house up to 400 enterprises and have an estimated annual output of 50 billion yuan, Xinhua said, citing a report from authorities in Beijing’s Mentougou district.

Zhongguancun Development Group, the developer of the project, will look to partner with foreign universities and build a “national-level” AI lab in the area, Xinhua added.

Zhongguancun Development and representatives for Beijing’s Mentougou district could not be immediately reached for comment.

China’s plan to fast-track AI development comes amid heightened tensions between Beijing and the United States over the competitive applications of AI in military technology.

China aims to grow the local industry to over 150 billion yuan by 2020 and 400 billion yuan by 2025, according to the State Council....MORE