The General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology ("MIIT") has recently issued the Work Plan for Soliciting Units to Undertake Key Tasks of Innovations in the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Industry (the "Plan").
With the focus on major tasks established in the Three-Year Action Plan for Bolstering the Development of the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Industry (2018-2020), the Plan calls for intensive efforts in regard to 17 different direction and segments, to tackle key problems and make breakthroughs in a number of representative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, products and services which are highly innovative and will bring good results once put into use. With regard to smart products, among others, efforts will focus on conquering challenges for certain products, ranging from intelligent connected vehicles, intelligent service robots, intelligent unmanned aerial vehicles, to medical imaging auxiliary diagnostic systems and video image personal identity verification systems. As for core foundations, it is expected to work hard toward breakthroughs in intelligent sensors, neutral network chips, open-source and open platforms, etc. According to the Plan, an enterprise, a research academy, or an innovator of another kind, registered within the territory of China and existing with the independent legal personality, could complete and submit relevant application documents pursuant to relevant requirements, if it voluntarily applies for undertaking a relevant key task.