Emerging trends: Artificial Intelligence, China and my new job at Baidu

Kenneth Ward Church

doi:10.1017/s1351324918000189

Abstract

AbstractIt is amazing that I have written for more than a year on Emerging Trends without mentioning China’s investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Now that I have moved to Baidu, I would like to take this opportunity to share some of my personal observations with what’s happening in China over the past 25 years. The top universities in China have always been very good, but they are better today than they were 25 years ago, and they are on a trajectory to become the biggest and the best in the world. China is investing big time in what we do, both in the private sector and the public sector. Kai-Fu Lee is bullish on his investments in AI and China. There is a bold government plan for AI with specific milestones for parity with the West in 2020, major breakthroughs by 2025 and the envy of the world by 2030.

Highlights

My new position at BaiduIt is amazing that I have written for more than a year on Emerging Trends without mentioning China
It is amazing that I have written for more than a year on Emerging Trends without mentioning China’s investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI)
That I have moved to Baidu, I would like to take this opportunity to share some of my personal observations with what’s happening in China over the past 25 years

Summary

My new position at Baidu

It is amazing that I have written for more than a year on Emerging Trends without mentioning China. My life has changed dramatically since my last column. If you do not speak Chinese, you may not have heard of Baidu, but you will soon. Chinese speakers know that Baidu is the largest search company in China. The Chinese market is so large that it is possible for a company with relatively little brand awareness outside China to be the second largest search company in the world.. Baidu does many things in addition to search. Some are more relevant to what we do (such as speech-to-speech translation), and some are less relevant to what we do (such as self-driving cars).

Education in China

Face recognition

Electronic payments

Concluding remarks