BEIJING: AI-powered scientific research could revolutionise global progress, and China has the potential to lead this transformation. Experts at the World Internet Conference’s AI special committee seminar called for AI-driven public goods to support scientific discovery and promote sustainable development worldwide.
Wang Jian, chief director of the committee and director of Zhijiang Lab, highlighted the need for a public infrastructure for scientific research, which China could provide. He introduced the concept of MAP (Mathematics, AI, and Public Good), likening it to the US-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) framework. According to Wang, integrating AI, mathematics, and infrastructure could create a shared scientific resource benefiting researchers globally.
The initiative aims to democratise AI-powered scientific research, ensuring accessibility for all rather than a select few. Wang, also an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, stressed that AI should enhance research achievements by creating a global scientific commons.
Gong Ke, an advisor to the committee and executive dean of the Chinese Institute for New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies, underlined the rapid evolution of AI for Science (AI4S). He stressed that AI’s role isn’t just about technological advancement but about achieving sustainable development goals through international cooperation, scientific integrity, and open-source collaboration.
He emphasised the need for ethical, safe, and inclusive AI that reduces the digital divide, fosters transparency, and remains reliable.
Zeng Yi, a researcher at the CAS Institute of Automation, raised a fundamental question: How different is AI from human intelligence? He pointed out that while AI excels in data processing, it still makes errors that humans wouldn’t, suggesting that general AI remains far from reality.
