[China Daily Network] The founding ceremony of the School of Artificial Intelligence (SAI) of Jilin University and the Artificial Intelligence Expert Forum were held in Dingxin Building on May 26.
Cai Li, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Jilin University, read out the decision of Jilin University on the establishment of the SAI (Research Institute of Artificial Intelligence), Institute of Intelligent Manufacturing, Intelligent Medical Research Center, and the appointment of the dean and the director of the center. SAI, Research Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Institute of Intelligent Manufacturing and Intelligent Medical Research Center was unveiled by Zhu Tianshu, Wang Lijun, Yang Zhenbin and Li Yuanyuan.
Li Yuanyuan, President of Jilin University, delivered a speech at the ceremony. He said that with the rapid development of AI technology and its profound impact on human society, it has become a new focus of international competition and a new engine of economic development. A new generation of AI has entered a new development era. The founding of SAI is one of the important steps taken by Jilin University to seize the opportunities for the development of AI, to meet the national strategic needs, to promote industrial transformation and upgrading, and to transform the economic development of Jilin Province, as well as to manage successfully the higher education to meet the Party and the People satisfaction.
Li Yuanyuan introduced the history of AI research in Jilin University and the good conditions for AI expanding. He said that planning from a high starting point, insisting on a high standard, integrating development resources, SAI will not only utilize the existing disciplinary and faculty advantages in the direction of AI, but also explore a new mode of AI developmental era. Devoting to building an international base of talent cultivation and scientific and technological innovation in the field of AI, SAI will make positive contributions to the country’s initiative in the current international scientific and technological competition.
On behalf of the Jilin University, Li Yuanyuan put forward several suggestions and requirements on how to build SAI as below. To seize the opportunity and take advantages of the situation, it should be set as an example on “level”. It will be based on itself, expand the connotation development, and emphasize the characteristic development. It will shoulder its mission bravely, find its position accurately and strengthen its service. It will forge ahead, adhere to innovative development, and create a new situation by means of reform. He said that SAI of Jilin University must build an international and domestic leading base in AI as soon as possible with public expectations, which will cultivate new momentum for the development of AI industry and make contributions to the construction of an innovative, world-leading scientific and technological country.
On behalf of the Party Committee and the Government of Jilin Province, Zhu Tianshu sent his warmest congratulations to the establishment of the SAI of Jilin University and showed his respect to the experts, scholars, leaders, and staffs who participated in the preparations. In his speech, he pointed out that the establishment of SAI and Research Institute of Artificial Intelligence in Jilin University is not only a concrete action to implement the governmental deployment and the national strategy, but also an important platform for Jilin University to follow the trend of industrial change and promote the construction of “double first-class”, and also a specific measure to utilize the advantages of resource and promote the revitalization of development of Jilin. He pointed out that it is necessary to take shaping ingenuity as the initial intention and mission of SAI, strengthen the lean thinking of continuous improvement, and bravely stand at the forefront of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. We should gather resources, innovate collaboratively, break through more technological bottlenecks, and strive to build an AI collaborative innovation ecosystem with international core competitiveness. We should promote the deep integration of the Internet, Big Data, AI and the Real Economy, and strive to build a modern economic system with the coordinated development of the Real Economy, Scientific and Technological Innovation, Modern Finance and Human Resources. It is necessary to closely follow up the development needs of AI industry, and continue to tailor-made service policies for high-end AI talents in a timely manner, so as to make the best use of talents.
Zhu Tianshu expected that SAI could seize the historical opportunity of change, gather resource advantages, break through core technologies, and occupy the development highland of AI. He hoped that Jilin University will continue to carry forward the motto of "seeking truth, innovation and motivation" with the establishment of SAI as a new starting point, and build a world-class university as soon as possible.
Liu Hong, Vice President of the Chinese Society of AI and Professor of Peking University, and Zhang Chengqi, President of the Australian Society of AI and Vice President of Sydney University of Science and Technology, also addressed the conference.
Sun Youhong, Vice President of Jilin University, and Liu Wei, Executive Deputy Secretary of Political and Legal Commission of Jilin Provincial Committee of CPC, signed the “Cooperation Agreement between Political and Legal Commission of Jilin Provincial Committee of CPC and Jilin University”.
On behalf of the Jilin University, Sun Youhong signed cooperation agreements with Xinhua Group III, Baidu, DiDi, ByteDance and Qiming.
After the ceremony, an AI expert forum was held. Experts made reports on the thinking and understanding of AI with a discussion on the future prospects of AI discipline.
More than 1000 people participated in the founding ceremony involving the members of Academic Committee of the University, heads from Office of Administrative, leaders from colleges and research institutions, and student representatives. (China Daily, Jilin Branch)
