An artificial intelligence open alliance has recently been inaugurated in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, marking a significant step to pool resources for AI innovation and application.

The alliance, initiated by 17 leading universities and eight top-tier tech enterprises and research institutions, was formed under the guidance of the Ministry of Education's department of science, technology, and informatization.

The 17 founding universities include Tsinghua University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. The alliance's secretariat is based at Tsinghua University.

Designed as an international, open, and nonprofit strategic collaboration platform, the alliance aims to undertake major national AI research tasks, build an independent and controllable AI infrastructure system, cultivate high-level AI talent, promote AI application in education and other fields, and develop an open-source AI technology community.

To advance these goals, the alliance will focus on transforming education and teaching models, building a new talent cultivation system, organizing cutting-edge technology research, developing autonomous infrastructure, and promoting international exchanges.

Five specialized committees have been established, led respectively by Tsinghua University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, covering AI in education, AI in research, fundamental AI engineering, AI ethics and governance, and international AI cooperation.

Li Luming, president of Tsinghua University and chair of the alliance, said forming the alliance is a significant move to serve national strategic needs and secure a leading position in AI development.

He said the alliance will build integrated application innovation, coordinated technology infrastructure, and linked governance and exchange systems.