China can lead the world in 'artificial intelligence' R&D

Zhang Yaqin, president of tech giant Baidu Inc, has called on Chinese companies to grasp the opportunities that will emerge from research and development into "artificial intelligence".

The AI sector is the new frontier for high-tech firms with the United States and China leading the way.

"Even though the US enjoys an advantage in the development of algorithms, China's edge lies in its huge base of data," Zhang said before Summer Davos started in Dalian. "And without data, algorithms cannot work.