Ying Yong (Middle), mayor of Shanghai, meets global artificial intelligence experts and entrepreneurs on Sept 18. [Photo/baijiahao]

Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong welcomed global artificial intelligence (AI) experts and entrepreneurs to share their wisdom and experience in Shanghai during a meeting on Sept 18.

The experts and entrepreneurs, including Raj Reddy, an Indian-American computer scientist and a winner of the Turing Award, Michael Levitt, a Nobel Prize winner, and Michael Spence, principal of the University of Sydney, were guests of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference that took place in Shanghai from Sep 17 to 19.

Ying said that Shanghai regards AI as a significant driving force for the city's development and is working on developing it into an AI hub. Therefore, the city is willing to promote global AI cooperation and exchanges.

Ying vowed that they will create a better business and market environment to help facilitate the development of AI within local companies. 

The experts and entrepreneurs also emphasized what they believe is the enormous potential of the AI industry and their belief that it will have positive effects on the transformation and development of other industries.

They agreed to strengthen cooperation with Shanghai universities and enterprises to contribute to the city's development and help it reach the goal of becoming an AI hub.

Shanghai has laid a solid foundation for the AI industry in recent years. Over the last 12 months, it has released several guidelines to promote AI development.

Ying Yong (R), mayor of Shanghai, meets Heung-Yeung Shum, executive vice president of Artificial Intelligence & Research at Microsoft, on Sept 18. [Photo/baijiahao]

Ying Yong (R), mayor of Shanghai, meets Tang Xiao'ou, founder and chairman of SenseTime, on Sept 18.[Photo/baijiahao]