In its latest The China AI Report 2020, South China Morning Post (SCMP) addresses the growing concerns of US-China tensions which included the recent import bans of Chinese tech –and how it will impact the country’s AI ambitions.

The report further explores the impacts of these developments. In principle, while tech tensions hammer the financial market, the battle for AI supremacy is predicted to continue between the two nations.

The report also interviews many top-level individuals who continually stress upon privacy as an increasingly crucial aspect of the AI industry. As more privacy concerns begin to develop, China plans to build more trust with consumers and users.

The region is also working towards developing technology which will fight against the negative impacts of machine learning such as bias, discrimination, algorithmic transparency, and explainability.

Healthcare, manufacturing remains key

Authored by the SCMP Research team, the report includes deep dives, case studies, and first-hand insights of the AI industry in China. It also included projections for the long term future, with manufacturing being one of the aspects covered in it.

China maintains the top position in terms of manufacturing output; the report further elaborates China’s plans of moving manufacturing into a more personalised direction due to AI advancements.

In the near term, there will also be wider use of automated checkouts, which will reduce labour costs and enhance data gathering. But the use of “unmanned stores” has been disregarded for the foreseeable future.

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Healthcare is another major focal point of the 2020 report. It reveals that more attention will be given to preventive maintenance. Beyond fully automated diagnosis and treatment, including surgery by domestically produced robots, AI will involve highly customised lifestyle recommendations based on individual genotypes.

What’s next for AI in China?

Recent reports pointed towards unfavourable economic predictions for China, as it is being weighed down by violent anti-government protests in Hong Kong, US-China trade war, and the outbreak of Coronavirus. These developments leave the future of China highly uncertain.

Interestingly, while it is hard to conceal the fact that China has seen a drop in private investments, the Chinese government and local tech giants are not facing a shortage of capital or solutions. They are even striving towards widening the lead in AI deployment as of 2020.

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