A group of artificial intelligence experts gathered in Jilin University to attend a forum and the launching ceremony of the university's College of Artificial Intelligence in Changchun, capital of Jilin province on May 26.

"As AI technology is developing rapidly and will have a profound influence on human society, AI has become a hot spot of international competition and an engine for economic growth. The new generation of AI has entered a new era of development," Li Yuanyuan, president of Jilin University, said at the ceremony.

Li Yuanyuan, president of Jilin University, addresses the launching ceremony of the College of Artificial Intelligence in Changchun on May 26. [Photo provided to ejilin.gov.cn]

He said the establishment of the AI college is one of the measures rolled out by the university to cater to the nation's strategic demand and promote the industrial upgrading and transformation of the province's economic growth.

Li called it a "positive action" to improve higher education for the Party and the people.

In his speech, the president briefed the audience on Jilin University's research on AI and its favorable environment for developing the necessary technology.

Besides the AI college, the university will also launch an intelligent manufacturing institute and an intelligent medical research center.

Jilin vice-governor Zhu Tianshu congratulates Jilin University on the launch of its AI college at the event in Changchun, May 26. [Photo provided to ejilin.gov.cn]

At the ceremony, Zhu Tianshu, vice-governor of Jilin province, spoke highly of the efforts made by experts, scholars and teachers for the college's establishment. He urged the university to make more technological breakthroughs and integrate the internet, big data, and AI technologies into the real economy.

The university inked an agreement with New H3C Group and signed memorandums of understanding with information technology firms such as Baidu, Didi, ByteDance and Qiming Information on the same occasion.

Jilin University was among the first institutes to start AI research in China. One year after the launch of its department of computer science in 1976, Wang Xianghao, an academician in mathematics and computer science, took the lead in advocating AI research nationally.

With more than 40 years of development, Jilin University has built its strengths on AI research and education.

An agreement signing section at the event [Photo provided to ejilin.gov.cn]