At the 2nd AI & I Guangzhou International Summit, Guangzhou Nansha District 
Artificial Intelligence Vocational Education and Training Center was launched. 
The center will partner with domestic and overseas universities such as the 
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Southern California and South 
China University of Technology in terms of teaching resources, curriculum 
designing and reciprocal recognition of credits. 

As a part of AI industrial ecosystem, vocational talents training is of vital 
importance. According to the report on World AI Industrial Distribution 
released by Goldman Sachs, among all the emerging AI projects in 2017, the 
number of Chinese ones accounted for 51% and exceeded that of the U.S. However, 
only 5% of global AI talents come from China. Experts believe the Center will 
help cultivate talents to support the industry's in-depth development.

In recent years, Nansha has proactively pushed forward AI and relevant 
supporting industries, aiming to be a pillar of the industry. In 2017, Nansha 
planned to establish the Guangzhou AI Industry Fund with 10 billion yuan and 
attract a series of AI industry funds for building an AI Innovation Value Park 
covering 5 square kilometers in five to ten years. For high-end teams of the 
industry, the district will provide up to 100 million yuan for helping the 
financing of their projects in Nansha.

In 2018, Nansha, as one of the leading supporters of China for the AI industry, 
has introduced serial supporting policies such as Measures for Supporting the 
AI Industry Development, Working Plan on Open Data and Application Scenarios in 
Nansha District of Guangzhou, Three-year Action Plan on AI Industry Development 
in Nansha District of Guangzhou. 

Guided and supported by policies, Nansha AI industrial cluster has been 
witnessing a rapid development, with four AI industry integrated platforms 
attracted including Guangzhou International Institute of Artificial 
Intelligence, Guangzhou Industrial Research Institute of Intelligent Software, 
iFLYTEK South China Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Cloudwalk AI Visual 
Images Innovation and Research Center (Cloudwalk is a unicorn company), which 
all help make breakthroughs in core technologies.

Meanwhile, more than 170 AI companies like Cloudwalk, Pony.ai, iFLYTEK, 
LinkDoc, NovuMind, Tongdun Technology, Makeblock Co., Ltd have been introduced 
in Nansha, covering businesses including AI chips, automatic driving, basic 
software algorithm, biometrics, natural language processing, new-type 
human-machine interaction and autonomous control. 

Statistics show the total output of the relevant AI companies settled in Nansha 
has reached to 2.4 billion yuan. There are 15 and 10 companies, each 
contributing to an output of more than 10 million yuan and 100 million yuan 
respectively. The industrial agglomeration effect has occurred in Nansha.

According to Outline Development Plan for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay 
Area, Nansha will be developed in to a demonstration zone for comprehensive 
cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. For the AI industry, Nansha 
also values partnerships with the other two regions. In September, the 
Guangzhou Campus of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology started 
construction. In the future, majors such as AI and data science will be offered 
there, providing intellectual support for the AI industry of the Greater Bay 
Area.

DM-AI, founded by world top professionals of the AI industry, was introduced in 
Nansha in April. Dong Le, assistant to its chairman, said Nansha boasts rich 
atmosphere, improved mechanism, and advantageous policies for innovation. The 
government has established close relationship with companies and helped advance 
the AI industry, thus allowing the companies to realize the government's 
determination to and support for the AI industry.

Source: Guangzhou Nansha District Artificial Intelligence Vocational Education 
and Training Center