The Hengqin New Area Administrative Committee agreed on April 25 to develop an advanced intelligent computing center relying on basic algorithms provided by Cambricon Technologies, a Beijing-based artificial intelligence (AI) chip unicorn.

The technology startup is an incubation project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the national scientific think tank of the State Council. It was founded by two research fellows at the CAS Institute of Computing Technology.

The cooperative agreement was signed by institute head Sun Ninghui and Yang Chuan, director of the Administrative Committee of Hengqin New Area.

Signing ceremony [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Da Hengqin Technology Development]

The common vision is a sci-tech innovation platform as a prelude to a larger collaborative one. It is would serve the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area with deep explorations into new economy, new business patterns and new development models based on AI.

According to the agreement, Cambricon and Zhuhai Da Hengqin Technology Development will set up a joint venture to operate, promote, and maintain the computing center. It will also handle innovation and entrepreneurship, education and research, information exchange, forums, and competitions.

The parties will work produce Smart City AI solutionsand map out a cooperative ecosystem of smart chips. Promoting the combination of AI technology and traditional industries is one of the keys.

Yang said that the project will lead to a bigger role for Hengqin in construction of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Scientific & Technological Innovation Corridor. Hengqin is building an integrated communications infrastructure with a goal of "Gigabit-to-Desktop, 10-Gigabit-to-Enterprise."

Across-domain multi-dimensional cloud platform based on big data and a special channel for Hengqin-used international internet now being built will provide high-speed and stable internet networks for the computing center, according to Yang.

The project will increase Hengqin's appeal to international high-end talents engaged in big data, AI and other sectors.