The State Council recently issued China's first artificial intelligence plan, the New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan. This landmark plan for the development of artificial intelligence has been strategically deployed, establishing a “three-step” goal, and striving to build China into the world's major artificial intelligence innovation center by 2030.

The “three steps” are: by 2020, the overall technology and application of AI will keep pace with the world's advanced level, the AI industry will become a new important economic growth point in China, and the application of the technology will become a new way to improve people's livelihoods; by 2025, the basic theories of AI will realize a major breakthrough, and some of the technologies and applications will reach the world's leading level, and the AI industry will become a leading center of the world. leading level, AI industry has become the main driving force to drive China's industrial upgrading and economic transformation; by 2030, AI theories, technologies and applications in general have reached the world's leading level, and China has become the world's major AI innovation center.

Becoming the world's major AI innovation center means that the competitiveness of China's AI industry has reached the international leading level, the smart economy and smart society have achieved significant results, and an important foundation has been laid for being among the forefront of innovative countries and economic powers.

“A new generation of AI is accelerating the penetration of manufacturing and other industries to push up the new economy and accelerate the leap to intelligence.” Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang said.

Artificial intelligence, a concept that has been born for more than 60 years, is profoundly changing human life under the impetus of the Internet and big data. As the core driving force of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial change, the new generation of AI will change the world.

Li Bohu, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that the era of “Internet + Artificial Intelligence + Big Data” is coming, and “Smart Cloud Manufacturing” is the landing and expansion of cloud computing in the field of manufacturing, and is the implementation of “Made in China 2025” and “Big Data”. 2025” and ‘Internet + manufacturing’ action plan of an intelligent manufacturing mode and means.

Experts and the artificial intelligence industry generally believe that the development of artificial intelligence is entering a new stage, presenting features such as deep learning, cross-border integration, human-machine collaboration, group intelligence openness and intelligent operation. Like all disruptive technologies, the new generation of AI has a high degree of uncertainty, and thus requires integrated planning and scientific guidance.

Over the years, national science and technology programs have continued to support the research and development of AI-related technologies and have made important progress. It should be seen that there is still a gap between the overall development level of AI in China and that of the world's leading countries. For example, there is a lack of major original achievements, and there is a large gap in basic theories, core algorithms, as well as key equipment, high-end chips, major products and systems, basic materials, components, software and interfaces; scientific research institutions and enterprises have not yet formed an ecosystem and industrial chain with international influence, and there is a lack of systematic and forward-looking R&D layouts; and cutting-edge talent is far from being able to meet the demand.

The plan calls for accelerating the in-depth integration of artificial intelligence with economy, society and national defense as the main line, enhancing the scientific and technological innovation capability of a new generation of artificial intelligence as the main direction, building an open and collaborative artificial intelligence scientific and technological innovation system, grasping the characteristics of the high degree of integration of the technical and social attributes of artificial intelligence, and adhering to the “trinity” of research and development of artificial intelligence, application of products and cultivation of the industry, and comprehensively supporting the scientific and technological development. “The plan emphasizes that AI will be promoted to fully support science and technology, economy, social development and national security.

For the weak links, the plan emphasizes that, on the one hand, it will build an open and collaborative AI science and technology innovation system, and strengthen the deployment of cutting-edge basic theories, key common technologies, innovation platforms, and high-end human resources; on the other hand, it will cultivate a high-end and efficient smart economy, develop emerging industries of artificial intelligence, promote the intelligent upgrading of industries, and create a highland of AI innovation.

Artificial intelligence technology is also a “double-edged sword”, which may change the employment structure, impact the law and social ethics, infringe on personal privacy, challenge the norms of international relations and other issues. Experts suggest that risks should be minimized to ensure the safe, reliable and controllable development of AI.