Report shows China publishes the most AI research papers, but they lack impact
Chinese AI startups get a lot more investment than US counterparts, according to Stanford University's AI Index 2019
The report offers other interesting tidbits about AI in China. In 2018, China had the highest volume of AI journal papers, with papers from government institutions accounting for three times more than those from companies. Europe’s situation is similar, but corporate-affiliated AI papers make up a higher proportion in the US. In all three regions, however, research papers overwhelmingly originated in academia.
When it comes to investment, though, Chinese companies appear to have more luck. AI startups in China received much higher rates of investment than their Western counterparts between July 2018 and July 2019. The country’s 486 funded startups received a whopping US$16.6 billion in investment, about 200% more than US startups.
Stanford’s AI Index not only tracks published works but also national strategies, private companies’ activity and public perception, among other details. And according to the authors, it also helps dispel the common myth that AI development is mainly a tussle between the US and China. The reality is more nuanced, with AI research happening all over the world.
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