The 20,000-square-meter Zhongguancun AI Innovation and Entrepreneurship Base has recently become operational, local media reported on April 4.

The base, located near Beihang University, will cultivate artificial intelligence talents, incubate AI innovations and transfer AI achievements to market.

Meng Yang, general manager of the Zhongguancun AI Innovation and Entrepreneurship Base, said, "The base aims to support a batch of AI innovation-oriented companies, focusing on AI technology applications in fields of medicine, manufacturing, education and civil-military integration."

The base initiated a service mode of "one platform— the Zhongguancun AI Innovation and Entrepreneurship Service Platform –, four systems and five supports", with systems featuring innovation incubation, personnel training, results transformation, and market promotion, and supports covering policy, space operations, research institutes, financial services, and innovative companies.

In 2017, Beihang University first enrolled graduate students in the field of AI, the first master's program in the field across the country. It was jointly established by the Software School of Beihang University, Baidu, and Maker World to train engineering professional and technical talents.

Li Xingyu, a postgraduate in AI research at the Software School of Beihang University, said that he is currently an intern in a company at the base.

Li said, "I found the internship through the base as we have little chance of project practice in the school."

Talent competition is the key point of the AI industry. As early as 2016, the Education and Examination Center of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology revealed that the shortage of China's AI talents exceeds 5 million.

A screen displays AI information about a startup at the Zhongguancun AI Innovation and Entrepreneurship Base. [Photo by Rao Qiang/bjd.com.cn]