China's AI business leaders see potential to reshape industries

China

China's AI business leaders see potential to reshape industries

2025-09-14 14:05 Last Updated At：16:57

New and emerging applications for AI will bring huge opportunities for development and reshape entire industries, said business leaders attending the China AI-Generated Content (AIGC) Innovation and Application Forum 2025, held on Friday in Beijing.

As part of the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), the forum themed "from large models to intelligent agents: driving a new AI ecosystem" attracted many government officials, researchers and business leaders from global tech giants and startups like Siemens, Cisco, IBM, AgiBot Robotics, DEEP Robotics, Fabarta and SenseTime.

Guests discussed topics related to AIGC innovation and application, as well as the burgeoning investment opportunities brought by AI technology.

"We are talking about AI's role of reshaping industry. We're no longer talking about the AI technology itself. Any technology, when applied to industry, will create an effect where one plus one is greater and much greater than two, and can bring about industrial upgrading," said Gao Xuefeng, founder and CEO of Fabarta, an AI infrastructure company based in Beijing.

Thanks to the application of AI models, China has seen rapid growth of intelligent robotics in recent years. Robots developed by Chinese tech companies can operate in complex environments for patrols, inspections, search and rescue.

The forum guests said the robot application scenarios will become more diverse as stability and reliability improve and costs gradually decrease.

Senior executives from DEEP Robotics said the company's high-end quadruped robots combine power, agility, and flexibility and can replace humans in complex tasks. The company believes that four-legged robot dogs are particularly suited for dangerous scenarios such as rescue operations.

"The biggest advantage of quadruped robots is that they are well adaptable to muddy riverbanks, deserts, stairs and grass. They can replace humans to better complete some tasks whether indoors or outdoors," said Ge Yongle, deputy general manager of DEEP Robotics.

ROK ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison on arrest obstruction charges

The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s former impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday was sentenced to five years in prison on arrest obstruction charges.

The criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court in charge of Yoon's obstruction of justice case handed down the prison sentence to Yoon for abusing the presidential security service to hinder the anti-corruption agency from executing its arrest warrant in January 2025.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was once thwarted in its attempt to arrest Yoon as the presidential security service formed human shields and bus blockades to prevent investigators from entering the presidential residence.

The team of Cho Eun-suk, an independent counsel who led investigations into Yoon's insurrection and other charges, demanded a 10-year prison term for Yoon.

The court said Yoon privatized the presidential security service for personal safety and private interests by blocking the law enforcement agencies' lawful execution of an arrest warrant and attempting to destroy evidence, pointing out that despite the very bad nature of his crime, he consistently offered unconvincing excuses and showed no remorse.

The court stressed that severe punishment was necessary, considering the need to restore the rule of law damaged by Yoon's crime, but it noted that the fact that he was a first-time offender with no criminal record was considered a favorable factor.

The sentencing, which was broadcast live, was Yoon's first verdict coming from his botched martial law bid.

The first-instance sentencing for Yoon's insurrection charges was scheduled for Feb 19. The special counsel sought a death penalty for Yoon on the charges.

Yoon declared emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3 in 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.

The constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach Yoon in April 2025, officially removing him from office.

The ousted leader was indicted while in detention in January 2025 on charges of leading an insurrection, becoming the first sitting ROK president facing such prosecution.