China Focus: Harnessing AI to build a people-centered digital future

HANGZHOU, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) — Harsh weather and challenging terrain once made fieldwork at remote solar power stations very dangerous. However, an AI-driven automated inspection solution is set to change that.
Lauded for its ability to accurately detect the smallest of obstructions, such as bird droppings on solar panels, while reducing workloads and enhancing safety for maintenance personnel, the inspection solution, powered by Tencent’s large language model Hunyuan, is among innovations showcased during the 2024 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit.
This year, Wuzhen Summit highlighted the impact of technological advancements on people’s lives and the vast potential of harnessing AI to build a people-centered digital future.
As part of the summit, the Light of Internet Expo welcomed 665 enterprises and institutions from 53 countries and regions to showcase their cutting-edge technologies.
Few things in recent years have garnered as much momentum and attention as AI, which is evolving into a powerful force with the potential to drive unprecedented transformation across businesses and all aspects of society, according to John Hoffman, CEO of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) Ltd.
From vehicles and pharmaceuticals to agriculture and scientific research, AI technology is helping industries ride the wave of digitalization and significantly enhance productivity.
Generative AI applications have entered a phase of rapid growth, according to the China Internet Development Report 2024 released during the summit.
The rapid development of generative AI has, however, heightened security risks, such as value bias, privacy breaches, data contamination, and misinformation. These challenges were hot topics among attendees, who emphasized the need to address them through both law-based governance, and technical measures.
Technology must be socially responsible, with every decision taken with consideration about its impact on society, the environment, and ethics, said Teo Nie Ching, Malaysia’s deputy minister of communications.
China has taken a global lead in AI legislation, issuing interim regulations on managing generative AI services in July 2023. This September, China also drafted guidelines for labeling AI-generated content, according to Zhang Weimin, chief engineer of the Cyberspace Administration of China.
Industries have also stepped up efforts to improve the safety of AI through various technical measures, as showcased at the expo.
Amid the rapid growth of AI-generated content (AIGC), digital watermarking technology has emerged as an important tool for ensuring content security. At this year’s expo, Alibaba Security showcased its advanced achievements in this field.
By embedding hidden information into images, videos, and other media, digital watermarking enables content identification, traceability, and copyright protection, effectively preventing information leaks and content infringement, according to Fan Hangyu, senior security engineer of Alibaba Security.
ZOLOZ, Ant Group’s identity security brand, specializes in trusted identity verification, combining document recognition, facial recognition for financial applications, and risk management strategies to deliver secure and efficient solutions. Since 2019, it has served over 1.2 billion users across 24 countries and regions, including China, Indonesia, and Malaysia, spanning industries such as finance, insurance, and telecommunications.
As AI unlocks boundless possibilities across industries, another focal point of discussion among the attendees is how can humanity build an inclusive digital world that benefits everyone.
This year’s summit witnessed numerous cases of how AI has brought humanity a better life, covering healthcare, transportation, agriculture and scientific research, among others.
Zhou Hongyi, founder of 360 Group, believes a people-centered principle is essential for science and technology. “AI should have a positive influence on humans. It ought to serve as an assistant instead of a replacement,” he said.
Artificial intelligence has evolved beyond being merely a tool for technological advancement. It holds the potential to become a powerful force for enhancing human well-being, benefiting billions of people worldwide, and driving technology to create a better future for all, said Chen Tianshi, founder and CEO of Cambricon.
This year’s summit concluded Friday in ancient town of Wuzhen in east China’s Zhejiang Province. ■