Tencent launches AI model for enterprises.

A few days ago, Baidu announced a series of AI applications in China. Initially, Tencent is testing Hunyuan for the advertising and fintech sectors. Besides the AI model, the company will also introduce an AI chatbot at the event.

Tencent is one of several Chinese companies launching AI models this year. (Photo: Bloomberg)

According to Dowson Tong, CEO of Tencent's cloud and smart industry division, the company will integrate Hunyuan's capabilities with its existing video conferencing and social networking products.

Recently, Baidu and other Chinese companies have been given the "green light" to offer AI chatbots to the public. Similar to ChatGPT, these bots can answer questions like humans, but primarily in Chinese. Some bots, such as Baidu's Ernie, can even convert text into images and videos with the help of plugins.

OpenAI's ChatGPT is not yet officially available in China. The chatbot must comply with the country's new regulations on AI generation, which came into effect on August 15th. When asked about the rules, Mr. Tong pointed out that AI is still too new for anyone to fully understand its impact on society.

He argued that establishing "protective barriers" is necessary to ensure that technology or services are good enough not to create and spread misinformation.

According to authorities, the temporary regulation does not apply to AI development companies that have not yet released their software. It is more flexible than the draft from April 2023, which required all parties to comply regardless of the stage.

Despite Beijing's support for AI generation, domestic companies still face the US ban on purchasing high-end semiconductors. The latest versions of GPUs enable companies to train AI models. According to Tong, this will hinder their progress and development speed.

He noted that cloud computing demand far exceeds supply in China. To mitigate the shortage, companies are focusing on specific scenarios and building suitable models. He also expects the supply of GPUs to increase in the coming months, thereby accelerating development.

Tencent is just one of many Chinese tech companies, both large and small, racing to introduce AI products this year. In August 2023, Alibaba announced it was opening its own AI model to third-party developers. AI requires specific industry-specific training to create value, such as in tourism , finance, public services, and customer care.

He believes that various customers would benefit from leveraging open-source models and using their own data to train custom models tailored to their specific needs. It also helps to better protect data.

(According to CNBC)

Chinese app marketplaces enforce new policy : According to Reuters, mobile app stores in China belonging to Tencent, Xiaomi, and others have begun banning developers from releasing new apps unless they disclose information requested by the authorities.

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