Robots in ASD Intelligent Valley simulate the production of cookware (XIA YUANYUAN)

Workers at a kitchen appliances manufacturer use robotic arms to make a pot in less than five minutes; dock workers use levers in an office to accurately grab and move containers; and doctors operate auxiliary robot systems to perform complex surgical operations with just a flick of their fingers …  

In Shanghai, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a common sight in numerous fields including smart production, smart finance, and smart cities, and is profoundly changing people’s lifestyles. AI and other cutting-edge technologies are also sparking a new wave of innovation globally.  

As one of the three leading industries, AI has seen a rapid development in Shanghai, which has formed an active and integrated industrial ecosystem across the city, and established a number of AI specialty parks.  

Smart factory 

In the Aishida (ASD) Intelligent Valley in Qingpu District, Shanghai, orange robots are simulating the production of cookware, from polishing, sorting, and assembling to handling and palletising, with each step marked by precision and efficiency. 

“Through the application of robotic arms, the production of a pot, which used to take two hours, has now been shortened to five minutes,” said Chen Meirong, executive vice general manager of Shanghai ASD Robotics. 

To many Chinese, ASD is a bellwether of the Chinese cookware industry. However, what many people don’t know is that this “pot-making company” has long seen the business potential of AI and has begun to enter the field of intelligent manufacturing. 

In 2016, ASD embarked on a path of transformation. At that time, the company acquired Zhejiang Qianjiang Robot Co. and began to expand to the field of intelligent manufacturing, creating a full industrial ecosystem for robots. Nowadays, almost all core components of the industrial robots it produces are independently developed. These robots excellently perform various tasks such as welding, polishing, cutting and casting, besides other applications, which can help in sectors such as automotive parts, food and beverage, and metal processing. 

Chen said that the 500 Qianjiang robots and more than 1,000 complete sets of automated intelligent production lines deployed by ASD have increased production efficiency by an average of 22.46 percent, reduced costs by 23 percent, and decreased unit energy consumption by 12 percent. 

Shanghai is the first city in China to include robot density into its statistics - the number of robots per 10,000 employees. At present, the robot density of key industrial enterprises in the city has reached 426 units, ranking top in the world. 

Shen Weifeng, vice president of HiDream.ai, an early tenant of the SMC Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Centre, shows how to use AI to generate images and videos in Shanghai on 23 May 2023 (XINHUA) 

Super AI brain 

At present, the large language models (LLMs) have become the mainstream trend of AI development. Official data shows that China ranks second in the world in terms of the number of self-developed LLMs, and over 100 LLMs with more than 1 billion parameters each have been launched in the country.  

Shanghai is on course to build itself into an AI nexus with global influence by fostering research and development platforms, industrial clusters and pilot projects. 

In Shanghai’s Xuhui District, the SMC Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Centre vividly displays the rapid advancement of the LLM industry in the city. 

Officially launched in 2023, the centre is one of China’s first dedicated incubators and accelerators for large-scale AI models. It aims to solidify Shanghai’s bid to create a world-class, globally competitive AI industry cluster. Now, a total of 60 LLM-related enterprises have already joined the community. 

For LLM-related enterprises and startups, computing power determines model speed. Strong computing power support is what many companies want. “The high cost of computing power can deter many small and medium-sized enterprises. But SMC provides computing power support for its tenant companies,” said Shen Weifeng, vice president of HiDream.ai, an early tenant specialising in the use of AI to generate images and videos. 

A robot performs shooting at the basket during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2023 in Shanghai on 6 July 2023 (XINHUA) 

Policy support 

Zhang Bing, a product manager at Midu, one of the first enterprises to settle in the centre focusing on government large models, said, “Our team started with only around 10 people last year, and now we have over 100 employees, significantly exceeding our expectations. The most crucial factor is the attention and support from the national and local governments for this industry.” 

On 7 November 2003, Shanghai announced 11 measures for the innovative development of LLMs from 2023 to 2025, focusing on supporting the innovation capability of LLMs, enhancing the supply of innovation elements, promoting innovative application, and creating a first-class innovation environment. Other cities such as Beijing in north China, Shenzhen in south China’s Guangdong Province and Hangzhou in east China’s Zhejiang Province have also rolled out AI technology advancement plans. 

The Shanghai Measures to Promote the Innovation and Development of Big Models in Artificial Intelligence (2023-2025), issued in 2023, cover 11 areas, including the implementation of the big model innovation support plan and the implementation of the big model demonstration application promotion plan. According to the measures, Shanghai will encourage Pudong New Area, Xuhui District and other places to establish LLM clusters, focusing on the research and development, and industrialisation of LLMs. In terms of talent, Shanghai is encouraging enterprises, universities and scientific research institutions to jointly cultivate interdisciplinary LLM talent. 

China’s AI industry is thriving, reaching a scale of 500 billion yuan ($71.4 billion) with the number of enterprises surpassing 4,300. Continuous innovation has led to a steady stream of achievements, data from Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed in July 2023.