商业领袖和行业专家表示，人工智能是推动数字化转型的关键技术，在助力中国推动产业升级、促进数字经济与实体经济深度融合方面发挥着越来越重要的作用。他们表示，中国人工智能产业发展取得了重大进展，一些领域的技术创新能力位居世界前列。
A humanoid robot called Walker X plays Chinese chess at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai in June, 2021. [Photo/CHINA DAILY]
Artificial intelligence, a key technology for driving digital transformation, is playing an increasingly vital role in accelerating China's push for industrial upgrading and promoting the in-depth integration of the digital economy and real economy, business leaders and experts said.商业领袖和专家表示，人工智能是推动数字化转型的关键技术，在助力中国推动产业升级、促进数字经济与实体经济深度融合方面发挥着越来越重要的作用。
Significant progress has been made in developing China's AI industry, with technological innovation capabilities in some areas ranking among the best in the world, they said.他们表示，中国人工智能产业发展取得了重大进展，一些领域的技术创新能力位居世界前列。
A Stanford University report showed that China filed more than half of the world's AI patent applications last year and the nation continued to lead the world in the number of AI journals, conference papers and related publications.斯坦福大学的一份报告显示，去年中国提交的人工智能专利申请数占全球一半以上，中国在人工智能期刊、会议论文和相关出版物的数量上继续保持全球领先。
The report said Chinese researchers have been the most prolific in recent years, publishing 27.5 percent of all AI journal articles worldwide, while researchers from the United States accounted for 12 percent. Articles in Chinese journals also topped those of other nations for citations, an indicator of their scientific importance.该报告称，中国研究人员近年来是最高产的，发表的文章占全球所有人工智能期刊文章的27.5%，而美国研究人员的占12%。中国期刊文章被引用次数也超过其他国家，体现了其科学价值。
Official data showed that the value of China's core AI industries exceeds 400 billion yuan ($56.6 billion), and the number of related enterprises stands at more than 3,000, with major breakthroughs being made in key core technologies such as smart chips and open-source frameworks.官方数据显示，我国人工智能核心产业规模已经超过4000亿元，相关企业超过3000家，智能芯片和开源框架等关键核心技术正取得重大突破。
Chinese technology companies have invested heavily in research and development based on AI. In 2017, Baidu was chosen to lead the establishment of the AI national laboratory in deep learning. Self-driving technologies are important for this national research project.中国科技公司对人工智能领域的研发投入巨大。2017年，由百度牵头筹建深度学习技术及应用国家工程实验室。自动驾驶技术是该国家研究项目的重要研究方向。
Robin Li, co-founder and CEO of Baidu, said the application of AI technology is reshaping the industry landscape and will be a transformative force revolutionizing development over the next 40 years.百度联合创始人兼首席执行官李彦宏表示，人工智能技术的应用正在重塑行业格局，并将成为未来40年变革发展的革新力量。
The Beijing-based company has filed more than 22,000 AI-related patent applications worldwide as of April, among which over 16,000 patents have been applied in China, and it was granted more than 4,600 AI-related patents in the country.截至4月，百度已在全球提交了22000多项人工智能相关专利申请，其中在中国申请了16000多项专利，在中国获得了4600多项人工智能专利。
Tech heavyweight Tencent Holdings launched its AI Lab in April 2016. It emphasizes basic research in computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing and machine learning.科技巨头腾讯控股于2016年4月成立其人工智能实验室。该实验室主要的研究领域包括计算机视觉、语音识别、自然语言处理和机器学习方面的基础研究。
The tech firm works to put fundamental research to practical use, applying AI to its key businesses, including medicine, social interaction, online games and cloud computing. It also operates Youtu Lab, which has developed advanced technologies in facial and image recognition and voice identification.腾讯致力于推动基础研究走向实际应用，将人工智能应用于其关键业务，如医疗、社交、网络游戏和云计算等。腾讯旗下的优图实验室开发了面部识别、图像识别和语音识别方面的先进技术。
Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Information Consumption Alliance, a telecom industry association, spoke highly of the nation's intensified efforts to develop digital technologies represented by AI, which will inject fresh impetus into the country's economic growth and speed up digital and intelligent upgrades in enterprises.信息消费联盟理事长项立刚高度评价中国大力发展以人工智能为代表的数字技术，此举将为中国经济增长注入新动力，加快企业数字化和智能化升级。
The in-depth integration of digital technologies with the real economy will further reinforce China's advantages in global supply chains, he said.项立刚表示，数字技术与实体经济的深度融合将进一步强化中国在全球供应链中的优势。
