The First National Forum on Social Governance in the Era of Artificial Intelligence opens in Wuhan on April 23. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The First National Forum on Social Governance in the Era of Artificial Intelligence kicked off in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as the Optics Valley of China, or OVC), in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, on April 23.

Featuring one main forum and three sub-forums, the event was attended by experts from China's top universities including Peking University, Wuhan University, and Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Other attendees included industry insiders and senior officials from the Hubei, Wuhan and OVC governments.

Peking University's Institute for Artificial Intelligence, which settled in the Optics Valley of China, was unveiled at the forum. The administrative committee of valley inked a cooperation agreement with the institute, and the two sides pledged to jointly construct a national comprehensive intelligent social governance trial base.

The 2023 action plan to construct the base was issued on the same day, followed by partnerships between the institute and eight enterprises. They will join efforts in building an eco-system focused on intelligent social governance that also integrates industries, education, research and applications.

According to the plan, the base will feature general artificial intelligence technologies and social simulations. By the end of 2027, 31 major tasks will be deployed so that the base can contribute to regional high-quality development.

Zhu Songchun, president of Peking University's Institute for Artificial Intelligence, speaks at the forum on April 23. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

After the opening ceremony, university professors, including Zhu Songchun, president of Peking University's Institute for Artificial Intelligence; and Su Jun, president of Tsinghua University's Intelligent Social Governance Research Institute, delivered themed speeches on the Chinese-characterized modernization and intelligent social governance.