- tech360.tv
Chinese Tech Giants Showcase Latest AI at Wuzhen Summit as OpenAI's GPT-4 Turbo Sets Pace
Updated: Jan 8
The Wuzhen Summit, a prominent technology event in China, witnessed the unveiling of cutting-edge AI products by industry leaders Alibaba and Baidu.
As OpenAI introduced its latest AI language model, GPT-4 Turbo, Chinese rivals are striving to keep up with the advancements.
OpenAI's GPT-4 Turbo, backed by Microsoft, boasts several upgrades that have widened the gap between the company and its Chinese counterparts. These enhancements include a larger memory capacity, more affordable pricing for developers and an extended knowledge cut-off date. The launch of GPT-4 Turbo has sparked a sense of urgency among Chinese competitors, such as Baidu and Alibaba, who are now racing to catch up.
Xu Liang, an AI entrepreneur based in Hangzhou, emphasised the need for Big Tech firms and start-ups to invest more in order to stay competitive with OpenAI. Falling behind GPT-4 Turbo could lead to disappointment among users, making it crucial for companies to keep pace with OpenAI's progress.
In response to the challenge posed by OpenAI, Chinese companies may adopt different strategies. Some may focus on developing proprietary foundational models, while others may opt to create industry-specific models tailored to different sectors.
The demand for AI talent in China is surging, driven by the race to develop AI chatbots like ChatGPT. Lu Yanxia, a research director at IT consultancy International Data Corp, believes that OpenAI's GPT-4 Turbo will inspire local Big Tech firms to invest further in natural language processing, a critical technology for enhancing AI chatbots' understanding and processing of complex human languages.
At the Wuzhen Summit, which took place from November 8 to November 10, leading Chinese companies including Alibaba, Baidu and iFlyTek showcased their latest advancements in generative AI. Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the importance of safe AI development in his video speech at the event, emphasising the need to leverage AI for economic growth while mitigating potential negative consequences.
Due to internet restrictions, access to OpenAI's latest language model remains a challenge in China. As a result, domestic language models will play a crucial role in enterprise-level applications of AI language models within the country.
OpenAI's launch of GPT-4 Turbo has spurred Chinese competitors to invest more in AI development.
Chinese companies may focus on proprietary models or industry-specific models to keep up with OpenAI.
The demand for AI talent in China is increasing, particularly in natural language processing.
Source: SCMP