Spotlight on AI as future game changer

Delegates and visitors to the Zhongguancun Forum, a key technology event held in Beijing recently, were in for a surprise when they arrived at the venue late last month.

As they stepped in, they were greeted not by ushers in uniform, but by a coordinated team of robots that mimicked human expressions, answered queries and translated conversations in real time.

In the shadow of a series of bullying (tariffs) imposed by the Trump administration earlier this month, China is doubling down on what may be its most potent counterstrike: AI. From breakthrough chips to frontier models rivaling the West's best to humanoid robots, China's AI breakthroughs could stand out to be a potential game changer, industry experts said.

Elsewhere at the venue, a robot with a friendly voice and precise movements guided guests to a coffee corner where a robotic barista brewed fresh beverages. And, once the coffee was ready, another humanoid robot delivered it directly to the guest.

While other robots played chess with visitors or displayed their brush calligraphy skills with serene focus, some robotic dogs darted easily through the crowd of visitors.

This was just one of several events held last month where artificial intelligence took center stage.

In March, China saw a series of major events, including the two sessions, or the annual gatherings of the country's top legislature and political advisory body; the Zhongguancun Forum; and the China Development Forum in Beijing, as well as the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan province.

In fact, several AI-related panel discussions at the Boao and Zhongguancun forums saw packed houses, with attendees filling up every seat and some even standing to hear out the participants.

This overwhelming interest in AI mirrors the prominence of the nascent sector across the nation, displaying a vivid picture of China's technological future.