ACM SIGAI CHINA:A New Incubator for AI in China

AI MATTERS, VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 SUMMER 2017

ACM SIGAI CHINA:A New Incubator for AI in China Le Dong (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; [email protected]) Man Yuan (University of Edinburgh; [email protected]) Ming-Liang Xu (Zhengzhou University; [email protected]) Ji Wan (Zhengzhou University; [email protected]) DOI: 10.1145/3137574.3137582

ACM SIGAI CHINA ACM TURC 2017 - SIGAI CHINA SYMPOSIUM The China Chapter of ACM SIGAI commit- tees have been preparing ACM SIGAI China The ACM Turing 50th Celebration Conference for a year. In March 2016, Le Dong and the - China (ACM TURC 2017), was held from ACM China council decided to establish a new May 12-14, 2017 in Shanghai, China with its chapter–ACM SIGAI China. key theme on “Trustworthy Network Big Data”. The conference served as a highly selective In May 2016, the issue was further discussed and premier international forum on computer in ACM China Council Meeting in Beijing. science research. The Chair of ACM, Vicki L. Hanson, CEO, Robert B. Schnabel, and COO, Pat Ryan gave their approval to the foundation of ACM SIGAI China. The Chair of ACM China Council, Yunhao Liu from Tsinghua University and the Chair of ACM SIGAI, Sven Koening from Uni- versity of California also gave their special support to the foundation of this new chapter in China. The issue was also reported to ACM and ACM China for permission. In Octo- ber 2016, the organization structure of ACM Figure 1: ACM TURC 2017 SIGAI China was discussed in ACM China Council Meeting which was held in Taiyuan, Alan Mathison Turing is the father of computer China. science, artificial intelligence, the founder of computer logic. He put forward the important In March 2017, an official email from ACM in- concept of “Turing machine” and the “Turing formed that ACM SIGAI China chapter was test”. In honor of this distinguished scientist, successfully registered and ACM SIGAI A.M. Turing Award is established according to China was officially founded. In this new his name in 1966 by the Association for Com- chapter, the Executive Chair & General puting Machinery (ACM). It devotes to reward Secretary is Le Dong from University of Elec- individuals who have made outstanding con- tronic Science and Technology of China. tributions to the computer industry. The Turing In this year, ACM SIGAI China symposium Award is recognized as the highest distinction aims to provide a world0s premier forum of in computer science and the Nobel Prize of renowned researchers to share their insightful computing. opinions and discuss cutting-edge research On the occasion of the 50th anniversary on the artificial intelligence. The symposium of the establishment of A.M. Turing Award, features in types of sessions including dis- ACM TURC 2017 was hosted by Shang- tinguished talks and panel discussion. This hai Jiao Tong University, the Third Research summit forum expects to promote the devel- Institute of the Ministry of Public Security, opment of artificial intelligence from the aca- and Shanghai Municipal People’s Govern- demic, technical to industry and applica- ment, co-organized by China Computer Fed- tions. eration, Tsinghua University, Peking Univer- sity, Huazhong University of Science and Copyright c 2017 by the author(s). Technology, and Tongji University.

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In addition to the main sessions, the conference included workshops, panels, demon- strations, and exhibits. Twelve distinguished speakers including A.M. Turing Award Recipient were invited to discuss the frontier issues in today’s society as well as the interdisciplinary development trends together. ACM SIGAI is the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Artifi- cial Intelligence. The Chair of ACM SIGAI is Sven Koening from University of California who is also AAAI Fellow and distinguished speaker of ACM. Figure 2: Le Dong & Kai-Fu Lee @ TURC 2017 This time, ACM SIGAI China invited many distinguished speakers to share their ideas with our members in the symposium. They Turing Award talked about Exciting ideas in were Yangsheng Xu (Chinese University of computer science. The ACM/IEEE Fellow, Hong Kong), Sven Koenig (University of Gao Wen also brought up his ideas about Southern California), Shipeng Li (CTO of Co- Evolution of the Artificial Visual System. gobuy Group and IngDan), Shiyi Chen (Fu- In the banquet, Haifeng Wang, Vice President dan University), Bill Huang (CloudMinds Inc.), of Baidu discussed AI Makes the Internet Gansha Wu (Uisee Technology Inc.), Gang Smarter. The Chairman and CEO of Sino- Pan (Zhejiang University), Shuicheng YAN vation Ventures, President of Sinovation Ven- (Chief Scientist of Qihoo/360, Director of 360 tures Artificial Intelligence Institute and Sci- AI Institute), Heng Tao SHEN (University of ence, Kai-Fu Lee also shared his ideas. Lee Electronic Science and Technology of China), reviewed the history of computer and empha- Chunyuan Liao (Hiscene), Kai Yu (Horizon sized the application of quantum computer. Robotics), Liang Lin (SenseTime Group Lim- He pointed out that today, people learn from ited and Sun Yat-Sen University), Enhong mass data. In the future, people are able to Chen (University of Science and Technology learn from experience and have the ability of China), Junping Du(Beijing University of of transfer learning. Posts and Telecommunications), Zenglin Xu (University of Electronic Science and Tech- From the discussion, we can know that with nology of China), Fei Wu (Zhejiang Univer- the progress of science, AI will be used sity), Rui Hou (Chinese Academy of Sci- in cross-disciplinary programs and natural ences), Zhongxing XUE (KingPoint), Jinglei language understanding which will eventually ZHAO (ReadSense), Xuyao Hao, and Pi- be platformed and become the most effective anpian He(TF Securities). Yidan XU (Founder tool which can be applied in deep learning, & CEO of Topplus), Linsen BAI (Founder of transfer learning, reinforcement learning, sta- Alpha Brick), Wenzhi LIU (Engineering Direc- tistical learning, and so on. AI will eventu- tor of SenseTime),and Yao Chen (Marketing ally step into and have a huge impact on the Manager of Horizon Robotics) also delivered physical world and also make remarkable ac- their speech in the Technical Review part. Our complishments. But we have to be aware of sponsors and enterprises also joined in the the limitations of artificial intelligence. It lacks symposium panel discussion: From AI to Ap- self-awareness, aesthetic, feelings or love. At plications, what it takes to REALLY get the same time, it demands mass data, sin- there? gle domain and top scientists. People must be aware of these obstacles and realize that In conference panel, Vinton Cerf, Alexander a new opportunity beckons in China. Human Wolf, Wen Gao, Kai-Fu Lee, Xiangyan Li and select AI as nature selects the fittest.There Andrew discussed Big Data or Brain Pow- are several approaches for scientists: start ered Artificial Intelligence: Turing or Quan- their own business, empower technology, find tum? John Hopcroft, Recipient of the ACM a partner and publish papers.

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Figure 4: Le Dong, The Executive Chair&General Secretary of ACM SIGAI CHINA Was Awarded by Vicki L.Hanson in The ACM Turing 50th Celebra- tion Conference - China

Figure 3: Alexander Wolf Left His Words in the Au- The Future of AI tograph Book @ TURC 2017 In May 4th, 2014, President Xi Jinping once pointed out that China is going to initiate world-class universities. In 2016, Report on the Work of the Gov- In the banquet, scientists, entrepreneurs and ernment highlighted a new higher educa- students exchanged their thoughts and ideas tion policy, aiming to promote the construc- freely and left their precious signatures and tion of “Double First-Rate”(developing First- some words in our autograph book. class Universities and Academic Programs) in China. The development of cutting-edge tech- The feature of Turing Conference is AI. In nology relies heavily on higher learning insti- ACM SIGAI China Committee, Executive tutions. Chair & General Secretary is Le Dong from In 2017, President Xi attended the Opening University of Electronic Science and Technol- Ceremony of Belt and Road Forum for Inter- ogy of China. Vice General Secretary are national Cooperation(BRF) and he pointed out Mingliang Xu from Zhengzhou University and that in order to pursue innovation-driven de- Yanli Ji from University of Electronic Science velopment, China should strengthen the coop- and Technology of China. Vice chair are Kun eration on the digital economy, artificial intel- Zhou from Zhejiang University, Kai Yu from ligence, nanotechnology, and quantum com- Horizon Robotics, Gansha Wu from Uisee puting, and advance the development of big Technology Inc., and Liang Lin from Sense- data, cloud computing and smart cities so as time Tech. Man Yuan and Ji Wan are also to turn them into a digital silk road of the 21st ACM SIGAI China secretary. In ACM TURC century. He also said that we should spur the 2017, other organizers, XueLong Li, Hanli full integration of science and technology into Wang, and Xiang Bai also made their contri- industries and finance, improve the environ- butions to this event. In particular, 2017 Out- ment for innovation and pool resources for in- standing Contribution Award and Excellent novation. Artificial Intelligence orients the de- ACM China Lecturer was presented to Le velopment of future technology. Dong by ACM Turing 50TH Celebration Con- ference - China for her extraordinary contribu- In July, 2017, the State Council notified the tions to ACM TURC 2017 by Vicki Hanson, plan of the development for artificial intel- the Chair of ACM. ligence in the following decades in China.

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In such context, ACM SIGAI China is founded Find your opportunities at with three major missions: Our website: First, ACM SIGAI China provides an incuba- http://china.acm.org/TURC/2017/SIGAI.html tor for this emerging industry. It connects AI and education, also with other ﬁelds. Aca- WeChat Ofﬁcial Account QR Code: demic faculty, student, enterprises are very welcomed to join ACM SIGAI China to promote the interaction and impact of disciplinar- ies in AI.

Second, we encourage original AI innovation and international cooperation within communities via various activities and events, through different branches in ACM and SIGAI, especially in China.

Third, we strongly advocate the variability of SIGAI CHINA and especially welcome students and females to become members of Le Dong received her ACM SIGAI China. PhD degree in Elec- tronic Engineering and We shall strengthen the context from senior Computer Science from researchers to junior students, as well as link Queen Mary, University of partners among different regional areas. The London in 2009. She is a new era of artiﬁcial intelligence needs every full professor in University one of you! Learn and exchange the sparks of of Electronic Science thoughts here! and Technology of China. She is the coordinator of More information about conference, recent several National Natural events, registration, business cooperation and Science Foundation Projects such as NSFC further details can be found on our website Surface Project, NSFC Youth Project, NSFC and WeChat Ofﬁcial Account. Your participa- Important Research Project and so on. She tion is warmly welcomed! has now published more than 40 papers in international journals and conferences including several top journals and high level International Conference, such as TIP, ACM MM, TMM, PR, TCSVT, ICPR. She has served as a reviewer for several top journals and conferences. Now she is the Executive Chair & General Secretary of ACM SIGAI China , General Secretary of Vision And Learning Seminar (VALSE), General Chair of ACM TURC 2017 SIGAI CHINA Symposium, General Secretary of National Program of Global Experts, Youth Talents Committee, and the Executive Secretary of next-generation of Sichuan Provincial Engineering Laboratory. She got the Best Talk Award in the 10th ACM International Workshop on IOT and Cloud Computing, Excellent ACM CHINA Lecturer and ACM 2017 Outstanding Contri- Figure 5: AI Helps Innovation bution Award in ACM Turing 50th Celebration Conference - China.

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Man Yuan is currently Ji Wan is currently a a postgraduate student postgraduate student studying Teaching En- majoring in Computer glish to Speakers of Other science and technology Languages in Moray in Zhengzhou University. House School of Edu- He received his Bachelor cation in the College of of Engineering degree Humanities and Social in Computer science Science at the University and technology from of Edinburgh, Scotland, Zhengzhou University, United Kingdom. She China in 2015. He is the received her Bachelor secretary of ACM SIGAI of Arts degree in English from Shanghai China. His research interests include mobile International Studies University, and Bachelor and spatial data management, location-based of Science in Management Accounting as her services , and smart city computing. minor specialty from Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, China in 2017. She has served as secretary of ACM SIGAI China, and translator in Huaqiao Foun- dation. Her research interests include English for speciﬁc purposes, teaching English to engineering and science students, language testing, and second language acquisition.

Ming-Liang Xu is a full professor in the School of Information Engineer- ing of Zhengzhou Uni- versity, China, and currently is the director of CI- ISR (Center for Interdis- ciplinary Information Sci- ence Research) and the Vice General Secretary of ACM SIGAI China. His research interests include computer graphics and artiﬁcial intelligence. He has now published more than 40 papers in international journals and conferences including ACM TOG, IEEE TPAMI, IEEE TIP, IEEE TCSVT. Xu got his Ph.D. degree in computer science and technology from the State Key Lab of CAD&CG at Zhejiang University.