Ayaz, a leading project manager for localization at the Khan Academy in Azerbaijan, owns a startup company called Inskillz that develops education projects committed to cultivating digital literacy among students and teachers.

He believes that the World Internet Conference provides an excellent opportunity for him to network with experts of international influence in the internet industry. When talking about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in work and study, he said that for students who live in remote rural areas and have not had the opportunity to develop digital literacy, they probably don’t have any idea about AI. Therefore, it is necessary to remove digital divide between rural and urban areas before talking about using AI to boost digital skills.

Emmanuel Mutabazi, a creative consultant entrepreneur from Rwanda and one of the youth leaders under the World Internet Conference (WIC) Global Youth Leadership Program, stated that the WIC Global Youth Leadership Program provides a wonderful platform for professional people from all over the world to connect with other like-minded people, allowing them to communicate and share ideas and expertise. He was so excited to learn from others’ experience and share his personal experience in Africa at the event.

Emmanuel Mutabazi always focuses on innovation in education especially educational technology for children, youth employability, and digital skills development. He has worked with the University of Rwanda to achieve greater student access to education and the higher efficiency of teaching via the application of technology and has seen greatly improved outcomes. As a youth leader, he is willing to continue to use technology to advance and influence countries and regions around the world.

The Youth and Digital Future Forum, a buzzing part of the World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit, was held in Wuzhen on Nov 9.

This is where some of the brightest young minds in Internet tech, handpicked for the Global Youth Leadership Program (GYLP), gather and make their voices heard.

Being picked for the GYLP is not just a pat on the back; it's a high-five from the World Internet Conference and international big shots. These young leaders are stoked to explore the digital scene and cook up meaningful solutions.

The GYLP is a brand activity of the World Internet Conference. It aims to select outstanding young people in the global Internet field, closely follow the frontier trends of Internet technology, industry and governance, carry out a series of youth activities of training, forums, dialogues and research, and to build an international exchange and cooperation platform for young people.

Moksh Jawa, Schwarzman Scholar of Tsinghua University and one of the youth leaders of the World Internet Conference (WIC) Global Youth Leadership Program, expressed his hopes for the 10th year of the WIC Wuzhen Summit that it will bring the community together and build bonds, relationships and understanding that will go much beyond the conference.

He said that for the selected youth leaders, it is their responsibility to construct the internet in an inclusive way and to build a safe and shared cyberspace.

The Global Youth Leadership Program is a brand activity of the WIC international organization. It aims to select outstanding young people in the global Internet field, closely follow the frontier trends of Internet technology, industry and governance, carry out a series of youth activities of training, forums, dialogues and research, and build an international exchange and cooperation platform for young people worldwide.

Network security is a global concern in today's digital age. It holds critical significance for national security, economic stability and protecting individual privacy.

China has been focusing on cybersecurity and improving technical capabilities, which is crucial for ensuring the stability and high-quality development of its digital economy. What are the keys to cybersecurity and how it will benefit other countries?

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Raneem Zaitoun is one of the honorees selected for the 2023 World Internet Conference (WIC) Global Youth Leadership Program. Having worked for tech giants such as Microsoft, and been involved in the startup ecosystem in Canada as well as in other countries, she believes it is her experience working with emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain that has helped her to be selected for the program.

Participating in dialogues and forums at the WIC, she said she learned a lot about the digital future from the speakers and industry stakeholders, and also learned more about China's initiatives and steps on the road to a more digitally cooperative world.

As a youth leader, Zaitoun believes that it is very important to remove digital illiteracy, and has put forward suggestions such as organizing seminars, setting up scholarships, and creating innovation hubs to enable younger generations to enhance their digital literacy skills.

"You can see that China has delivered majestically the move from the old internet to the new internet. This has big consequences on infrastructure, so you have the most modern internet in the world," Latif Ladid, founder and president of IPv6 Forum, said in an exclusive interview with the China Daily website during the 2023 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit.

Latif said "the infrastructure today in China can deal with more data in this place. As a matter of fact, the number of IoT (Internet of things) devices deployed in China is the biggest in the world." He also highlighted China has the world's fastest wireless internet, which is another piece of evidence of the government's infrastructure initiatives.

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"We can witness and have witnessed a very interesting and powerful development of the Chinese internet economy",?Thorsten Hülsmann, managing director of International Data Spaces Association, said in an exclusive interview with the China Daily website during the 2023 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit.

Based on his observation and experience over recent years, Thorsten attributed this progress to the leadership's implementation of important strategies aimed at advancing internet technology and the economy. He also highlighted how China's data processing capacities from Chinese companies are among the leading ones in the world.

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The artificial intelligence industry holds great significance for the development and unlocking of potential in the Chinese economy, said Baidu's chief technology officer.

From the evolution of PCs and mobile internet to the integration of digital technology, particularly AI, with the physical economy, industries are undergoing a transformative shift toward intelligence, Wang Haifeng said in a written interview with the China Daily website during the 2023 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit.

He shared that China's diverse and extensive industrial system, coupled with rich AI applications, is facilitating the transformation and upgrade of various sectors.

Large language models like Ernie serve as universal empowerment platforms, enabling intelligent transformations across industries, Wang said.

This accelerates China's AI industry development, driving technological progress, industrial upgrades and overall productivity gains, thereby injecting momentum into the nation's high-quality economic development.

Baidu, as a leading AI company with extensive expertise and a comprehensive strategy in core technologies, is committed to breaking through key technologies.

It has accumulated experience in speech and computer vision for perception, natural language processing and knowledge graph for cognition, as well as foundational technologies such as deep learning frameworks and platforms, large language models and AI chips, said Wang.

The Chinese tech giant also continues to reduce the application barriers of artificial intelligence technologies, aiming to drive industrial upgrades and promote greater AI in different sectors, said the officer.

Accelerating the integration of AI into sectors such as manufacturing, city governance, energy, transportation, finance and media, will make industries and people's lives become more "intelligent".

In response to the question regarding how Baidu achieves high-quality development through technological innovation, the chief technology officer said that Baidu boasts a strong team with advanced technical skills.

Their expertise in large language models and patents is crucial for improving Baidu's products.

Its innovation is based on real needs in products and industries, allowing them to quickly turn new technologies into useful applications.

Over the years, Baidu's continuous innovation has led to many important developments, shaping the path of both technology and industries, Wang said.

Baidu's AI technologies, such as deep learning and large language models, are used in search, maps, translation and its smart hardware.

The company unveiled the latest version of its large language model, Ernie 4.0, at Baidu World 2023, the company's annual flagship event held in Beijing.

It has introduced a model for large-scale production and application, streamlining the complex process of model production for companies with capabilities in algorithms, computing power and data.

This approach is similar to chip factories, Wang added, and the practical application of Ernie has been validated through collaborations with leading companies and institutions in diverse sectors.

The recent launch of Ernie 4.0 has further accelerated the model's practical use, with many business partners integrating it to enhance their operations.

Wang attended the 2023 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit and expressed that the ten-year journey of the summit has seen the expansion of the internet, achieving remarkable success.

Each visit to Wuzhen reinforces his appreciation for the allure of the internet, the dynamism of technological innovation, and the potential for communication and collaboration.

Wang believes that there will be further exchanges and collaborations among academic, industrial and research communities or among peers worldwide in the field of the internet and AI.

On Nov 8, the plenary meeting of the World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit and the award ceremony of the Wuzhen Summit 10-Year Commemorative Honor took place in Wuzhen. The honor carries the WIC's recognition of individuals and organizations that have made outstanding performance by actively participating in activities, supporting preparations, and contributing to the establishment of the WIC Organization.

The awards presented at the ceremony were Outstanding Partners, Excellent Organizers, and Special Contributors.

How do you view the current development of artificial intelligence in China? During the 2023 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit, Kilnam Chon, "Father of internet in South Korea" and honorary professor of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, made positive remarks on China's AI technology.

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To mark its 10-year milestone, the World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit inaugurated the Global Youth Leadership Program, aiming to build an international platform for outstanding young people worldwide to foster collaboration and mutual learning in the field of the internet.

John Hoffman, CEO of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association, expressed high expectations for the role of young people in driving the development of cyberspace.

What impact will artificial intelligence (AI) have on our society? And how does education drive the development of AI? Francis Gurry, vice-chair of the World Internet Conference and honorary dean of Shanghai International College Intellectual Property, Tongji University, gives his answers and informed perspectives.

How should humans view artificial intelligence? During the World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit, Antonio Frisoli, an expert in robotics at the Scuola Sant'Anna University of Pisa, shared his insight on this topic.

When an ancient town embraces cutting-edge technologies, what amazing wonders may arise?

The World Internet Science and Technology Museum, the first of its kind on a global scale, was inaugurated in the picturesque water town of Wuzhen on Nov 7.

With six permanent exhibition areas, the museum allows visitors to explore the brilliance of key internet technologies while gaining a deep understanding of the past, present, and future of internet development.

The Global AI Governance Initiative shows China's willingness to partner with all parties to promote the responsible use of artificial intelligence and it will help build global consensus on AI governance, industry experts said.

They made the remarks at the ongoing 2023 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit.

"China is an indispensable partner for global AI governance, because the country is one of the major AI innovation centers of the world and AI is becoming the main driving force of China's industrial upgrading and economic transformation," Luigi Gambardella, president of China-EU, told China Daily in an exclusive interview. China-EU is a nonprofit association that promotes digital, high-tech and business cooperation between Europe and China.

The Global AI Governance Initiative, proposed by China's top leadership last month, "responds to the expectations of many countries that are firmly opposed to any unilateral coercive measures", Gambardella said.

The initiative also "espouses key principles of Europe's regulatory approach to AI; for instance, a system that is based on AI risk levels, implements agile governance, and carries out tiered and category-based management for rapid and effective response", he said.

"The initiative is set to constitute a platform that could serve as a middle ground to build a global consensus on AI governance," he added.

Tomas Lamanauskas, deputy secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, said that the Global AI Governance Initiative mirrors the strides China has made in promoting digital transformation.

According to him, digital transformation and data are important driving forces for sustainable development goals, and that there is a need to ensure AI will not widen the digital divide between developed and developing economies.

On Thursday, the WIC's Working Group on Artificial Intelligence published a Consensus on Developing Responsible Generative Artificial Intelligence. The consensus highlighted that developing responsible generative AI should consistently commit to enhancing human wellbeing, adhering to a people-centered approach, and promoting the sustainable development of the economy, society and ecological environment.

Zhou Hongyi, founder of Chinese cybersecurity company 360 Security Group, said generative AI brings new opportunities as well as security challenges, which demands new digital security services.

Security, he said, should be an important aspect of global governance on AI, a key link in the efforts of cities and enterprises to promote digital transformation, and an important component of the new digital infrastructure.

Zeng Yi, director of Artificial Intelligence Ethics and Governance Research Center of the Institute of Automation at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said AI is never neutral because the data used for training it already contains the bias in human society and AI is likely to amplify such biases.

Zhou said the real opportunity for generative AI lies in business applications rather than consumer-oriented ones. Only by empowering hundreds of industries can generative AI truly promote the revolution brought about by AI. The security industry will be a service industry in future, he said.

The air in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, seems filled with artificial intelligence or AI this year.

At the World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit on Thursday, top executives of China's biggest internet and technology companies called for accelerated efforts to develop AI infrastructure and an open AI ecosystem.

At the conference, industry experts also called for more coordinated international efforts for AI governance, believing it is the only way to harness AI for humanity amid rising global economic uncertainties.

In a WIC session involving top executives of Baidu Inc, Alibaba Group and JD, the topic that received emphasis was the need to build a more open AI ecosystem.

Wu Yongming, CEO of Alibaba Group, said: "The key to developing AI is to create a strong infrastructure and an open ecosystem. AI and cloud computing will become Alibaba's two-wheel drive for future underlying capabilities and the company will insist on building a more solid infrastructure base and a more open and prosperous AI ecosystem."

With around half of the country's AI large models running on Alibaba Cloud, Wu disclosed that Alibaba will soon "enable its large model with 72 billion parameters to be in open source", which is expected to become the largest open-source large model in China.

Robin Li, chairman of Baidu Inc, emphasized that current large models and computing power cannot generate value themselves and the key is to use large models and other technologies to build a prosperous AI native ecosystem.

Recalling that some entrepreneurs are still buying chips and drivers in a bid to build large models from scratch, Li said it is a wrong direction to take and could lead to a huge waste of social resources.

Guo Kaitian, senior vice-president of Tencent Holdings, said in a separate session that the company has developed technologies related to large models, including model algorithms, machine learning frameworks and AI infrastructure, all by itself.

"Tencent also pays more attention to the effectiveness of applying large AI models to real business scenarios," Guo said, adding Tencent Cloud has offered more than 50 large model solutions to 10 major industries, including finance, cultural tourism, media, government affairs and education.

At the same time, Tencent has been beefing up efforts in technological ethics and will strive to make AI "knowable, controllable, available and reliable", Guo said.

In another session, Yang Yuanxi, co-founder of Kuaishou, a publisher of short videos and one of the country's largest online platforms with 400 million daily active users, disclosed that the company is developing its own large language model and a video recommendation system based on large models.

Since the company has a portfolio of more than 10 billion short videos, it is difficult to use human power to enable users to find content that matches their interests. So, AI is expected to help in this regard, Yang said.

Li Yi, founder of internet firm Yuanbiancheng, an AI-powered educational startup, said more efforts are needed to boost AI education and nurture more AI talent.

"AI education should be education for the future era of AI. It is necessary to enable younger generations to prepare corresponding abilities and knowledge of AI for future development," he said.

Last month, China launched the Global AI Governance Initiative with the avowed goal of creating an open, inclusive and fair approach for the development, security and governance of emerging AI technologies and services.

Xuan Xingzhang, an official from the Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies, said that countries across the world have been strengthening their use of AI, especially large model technology, and China, the United States and the European Union have all explored and boosted AI governance.

Francis Gurry, vice-chair of the WIC and former director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, said: "The future of the internet and the future of AI are closely connected with each other. Realizing the potential of AI also requires international cooperation, just like promoting the continued development of the internet."

Experts: President offers vision for more inclusive development of internet sector

China's renewed commitment to take forward the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace will propel greater global cooperation and exchanges in the internet sector and help narrow the global digital divide, analysts and industry insiders said.

President Xi Jinping highlighted the need to continue with efforts to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace during a speech via video link to the opening ceremony of the 2023 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit on Wednesday.

He made an appeal for the international community to deepen international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain, expand the availability of information technology services, narrow the digital divide, and better ensure public well-being through the development of the internet.

Xi's speech came eight years after he delivered a landmark address at the Wuzhen conference in 2015, in which he presented Beijing's major principles and proposals for global internet governance.

Ouyang Rihui, a professor of digital economics at the Chinese Internet Economy Research Institute at the Central University of Finance and Economics, said that Xi's latest remarks showcased a strong sense of responsibility for global cyberspace development and presented a vision for the more inclusive development of the internet sector.

He said that reducing the digital divide involves narrowing gaps between nations, regions, sectors and population groups. "It also involves narrowing the divide in the access, usage and knowledge of digital technology."

Bridging the digital divide would require more proactive efforts from the government and platform companies as well as joint efforts from different countries, he added.

According to a report published by the Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies, China has been actively engaged in building global internet infrastructure to expand the coverage of the internet, including helping nations build optical fiber and base station networks and improving global digital connectivity network.

For instance, Chinese businesses helped South Africa to develop the first 5G network in Africa.

Andy Mok, a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based think tank, said that China's commitment to a shared future in cyberspace, aligning with the principles of mutual respect and sovereignty, "reflects integrity, as it exhibits consistency between its professed online intentions and its offline geopolitical behavior".

He said that China's pledge to foster a cooperative future in cyberspace holds "significant weight due to the country's dual role as a major market player in artificial intelligence and a leading innovator in AI technology".

"The sheer scale of its market ensures that its AI usage sets trends, while its rapid advancements in AI development position it as a key architect in shaping global AI implementation standards," he said.

Beijing put forward the Global AI Governance Initiative last month, calling for countries to enhance information exchanges and technological cooperation on the governance of AI.

"We should increase the representation and voice of developing countries in global AI governance, and ensure equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules for all countries in AI development and governance," said an official paper explaining the initiative.

Antonio Frisoli, a professor of robotics at Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy, and vice-CEO of Next Generation Robotics, said he found the speech by Xi "very inspiring", as it presented a global vision promoting the peaceful development of cyberspace.

He said that the vision from Xi has not focused on the development of a country but on shared international development. "I got from his speech that there is clear importance at this stage for a common vision."

President Xi also made an appeal on Wednesday for countries to respect the development paths and governance models chosen by each country, abide by international rules governing cyberspace, reject cyber hegemony and oppose cyber confrontation and an arms race in cyberspace.

Ouyang, the professor, said China's vision for global cyberspace stood in sharp contrast to the vision put forward by some nations that advocated various alliances and forming exclusive circles.

"With the global order now being reshaped by digital technology, China has made it clear that it will pursue greater dialogue and exchanges, seek common ground while reserving differences and build a cyberspace beneficial to all," he said.

The 2023 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit kicked off on Nov 8 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province.

The summit, centered around the theme “Creating an Inclusive and Resilient Digital World Beneficial to All -- Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”, will host 20 sub-forums on topics like global development initiatives, digital cooperation, artificial intelligence, and coordinated transformation for digital and green development.

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On Nov 7, the Wuzhen World Internet Science and Technology Museum, the first of its kind on a global scale, was inaugurated in Wuzhen town, Tongxiang city, the permanent site of the World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit.

The museum showcases the Internet's fundamental and irreplaceable role in supporting global digital development and shaping human digital civilization.

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