China Focus: At China expo, AI takes center stage

TIANJIN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- "Please make a coffee for me," a visitor asked a cute, white robot at the ongoing 2024 World Intelligence Expo held in Tianjin Municipality, north China.

The robot barista promptly responded, waving its arms to perform each step: taking beans, grinding, steeping and brewing. In no time, a fragrant cup of coffee was presented to the delighted attendee.

It utilizes 3,000 hours of Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning and 30,000 hours of robotic arm training to replicate the techniques of an experienced barista.

From humanoid robots to autonomous vehicles, the four-day expo highlighted the diverse application scenarios of AI, depicting a future brimming with technological promise.

While the coffee robot diligently brews away, the futuristic Cybertruck at the Tesla booth in another exhibition zone captivates significant attention.

Integrated with multiple advanced AI technologies, the in-car system boasts autonomous driving capabilities thanks to deep learning algorithms and neural networks. With advanced sensors and cameras, the vehicle can analyze the surrounding environment in real time and make intelligent decisions.

In 2024, Tesla plans to invest 10 billion U.S. dollars in AI and autonomous driving, sources with the U.S. company told Xinhua.

"They are not just cars, but mobile intelligent terminals, like robots with wheels, meeting diverse scenario-based needs, including travel, safety, entertainment, camping, socializing, and even pet care," said a member of staff at the booth.

A crowd gathered at a demonstration for XPENG, a leading Chinese electric vehicle maker.

Inside one of the cars equipped with AI interaction functions, users can receive recommendations for scenic spots, nearby parking lots, or even travel tips by asking questions.

"It's wonderful and will greatly facilitate our daily travel. I definitely plan to purchase a smart car in the future," said a Tianjin-based visitor surnamed Song.

XPENG has also enhanced driving safety with AI technology, introducing an AI Bodyguard function. With smart sensors such as LiDAR and cameras, an XPENG vehicle can accurately perceive the external environment and even predict the trajectory of small animals and surrounding vehicles to avoid collisions, said Li Xiaodong, a sales staff member with the company.

As of May 2024, XPENG has delivered more than 440,000 smart electric vehicles.

The mood at the ongoing expo was optimistic, with sights set firmly on the future of AI.

"AI is accelerating its deep integration with various industries, giving birth to new fields and tracks that will lead future development, achieving a revolutionary upgrade in productivity and production efficiency," said Long Teng, vice minister of science and technology.

His view was echoed by Liang Feng, associate professor at the Business School of Nankai University.

"The high-quality development of industries and enterprises driven by AI provides more products and services with diversified functions, rich content, and novel experiences, further upgrading the consumption structure and fully unleashing consumption potential," said Liang.

China now hosts more than 4,500 AI companies, reflecting the country's efforts to embrace the AI boom.

The country's core AI industry reached a scale of more than 578 billion yuan (about 81 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, up 13.9 percent year on year, official data shows.