The technological giants of the United States, which face stricter content rules in China and the threat of a trade war, point to an easier way to enter the second largest economy in the world: artificial intelligence.
Google, Microsoft Inc. and Amazon Inc. exhibited their Artificial Intelligence products in a state-backed forum held in Shanghai in the context of Beijing's plans to build a $ 400 billion artificial intelligence industry by 2025.
China's government and companies can compete against US rivals in the artificial intelligence world race, however, both countries are aware that gaining ground will not be easy without some collaboration.
"Hey Google, let's make humanity great again," said Tang Xiao'ou, CEO of the Chinese AI.
Amazon and Microsoft announced plans on Monday to build new IA research laboratories in Shanghai. Google also recently showed in its event a growing set of artificial intelligence tools focused on China.
Google last year launched IA-backed products, including a translation application and a drawing game, its first consumer products in China, since its search engine was largely blocked in 2010.
The World Artificial Intelligence Conference is organized by China's leading economic planning agency along with its cyber and industry ministries. The conference aims to show the growing power of the country as a global AI player.
China's ambition to be a world leader in AI has created an opportunity for US companies, which attract the majority of the top global AI talent and want to take advantage of China's vast data.
The presence of global AI research projects is also a great help for China, which aspires to become a global technology leader in the next decade.
Liu He, China's powerful deputy prime minister and key negotiator in the trade talks with the United States, said his country wanted a more collaborative approach to artificial intelligence technology.
"As members of a global village, I hope that countries can show mutual understanding and respect for each other, deal with the double sword technologies that can bring and accept together the challenges of AI," he said in the forum.
Beijing took an aggressive stance when it presented its IA road map last year, urging companies, government and armed forces to give China a "competitive advantage" over its rivals.