Tencent to step up AI-related efforts

Internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd said on Wednesday that it would continue to make all-out efforts to reinforce the development of artificial intelligence-powered smart vehicles, which could eventually pave the way for its entry into the autonomous driving segment.

The company unveiled an AI-backed system that allows automakers to produce cars capable of calculating the best route, order meals and find parking lots with minimum human intervention at the ongoing Tencent Global Partner Conference.

Such new features will probably debut in the next lineups of a clutch of industry players, including GAC Group, BYD Co and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co, which will bank on Tencent's computing capabilities and vast resources from mapping, payment to social networks, said Zhang Tong, head of Tencent's AI Lab.