AI to be more prolific in 2023: tech giant

Chinese tech giant Baidu said that artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be more widely integrated into the real world in 2023, Friday's edition of Science and Technology Daily reported.

Baidu Research, a leading AI research institute initiated by Baidu, released its predictions for the top 10 technology trends of 2023 on Thursday, including big model building, digital-real convergence, virtual-real symbiosis, autonomous driving, robotics, scientific computing, quantum computing, etc.

According to the institute, today, intelligent computing centres, deep learning platforms, and AI models are already developing to form a new AI infrastructure. In the next few years, the construction of this new AI infrastructure is set to become one of the significant pillars of the digital economy's development.

As one of the most crucial fundamental technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, AI has and will continue to change human society profoundly, said Zhang Yaqin, dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research.

Baidu Research also noted that relying on a solid intelligence base, web 3.0, the metaverse, autonomous driving, AI-generated content, and quantum technology will usher in new industrial opportunities in 2023.

It pointed out that Web 3.0 technologies will create a new multi-centered, more open, fair, and secure web space where users can exchange information and value with more safety. In 2023, the commercialization of autonomous driving in major cities in China will see simultaneous growth in both the scope of operation and fleet size.

"The future digital society will be built on advanced intelligent networks, the Internet of Things, blockchain, and other new forms of infrastructure, with natural human-computer interaction and AI serving as a key interaction platform. Virtual-real symbiosis technology will merge the physical and digital worlds, enhancing our experiences and capabilities in both realms," said Zhao Qinping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Baidu Research has released its top 10 technology trends outlook.