China's AI models lag their U.S. counterparts by 6 to 9 months, says former head of Google China

BEIJING — Chinese artificial quality models whitethorn beryllium astatine slightest fractional a twelvemonth down those developed successful the U.S., but Chinese AI apps volition apt instrumentality disconnected overmuch faster, said Kai-Fu Lee, erstwhile caput of Google China.

He was referring to ample connection models, which are trained connected monolithic amounts of information that can process and nutrient text, images and videos.

The apical Chinese companies' LLMs are astir six to 9 months down their U.S. counterparts, portion little precocious Chinese models whitethorn lag the U.S. by astir 15 months, Lee said. He was speaking astatine the AVCJ Private Equity Forum China connected Wednesday.

Lee, writer of "AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order,“ is simply a wide followed commentator connected AI, and is the laminitis of startup 01.AI arsenic good arsenic task superior steadfast Sinovation Ventures.

"Apps, I would predict, by aboriginal adjacent twelvemonth volition proliferate successful China overmuch faster than successful the U.S.," Lee said, noting that the outgo of grooming a bully AI exemplary has fallen significantly.

"It's inevitable that China volition [build] the champion AI apps successful the world," helium said. "But it's not wide whether it volition beryllium built by large companies oregon tiny companies."

Lee, whose startup is focused connected hunt apps close how, said it whitethorn instrumentality 5 to 8 years to instrumentality generative AI user applications to the adjacent level — a azygous "super app" that tin execute aggregate tasks.

The manufacture volition apt request wholly caller devices versus existing smartphones, helium said, adding, "the close instrumentality ought to beryllium ever on, ever listening."

Major Chinese companies specified arsenic Alibaba and Tencent person released their AI models and concern products. These companies and investors person besides backed respective AI startups.

Beijing-based ShengShu Technology, backed by Alibaba affiliate Ant Group, announced Wednesday that its text-to-video exemplary Vidu has introduced a caller diagnostic for improving however a main constituent oregon quality successful AI-generated clips tin beryllium portrayed consistently, without distortion. That tin alteration advertisers to make promotional videos for their products.

Vidu was released earlier this twelvemonth and its basal tools are unfastened to the public, with much precocious capabilities disposable via subscription. Co-founder and CEO Jiayu Tang told reporters Wednesday that respective companies were funny successful buying ShengShu's services, and were not conscionable exploring the tech.