Data annotation-related scenarios and service products have emerged as a standout feature at this year's China International Big Data Industry Expo in Guiyang City of southwest China's Guizhou Province Province.
On the expo floor, robotics companies demonstrated how robots collect and label data, attracting many visitors.
"We label massive amounts of data and then use them to train large models. When these large models are fed with 'nutritious food', they can become smarter, allowing artificial intelligence to reach new heights," said Tan Poh Hwee, president of the Asia Academy of Digital Economics, a Singapore-based non-profit organization.
As a critical pillar supporting AI development, the data annotation industry is rapidly expanding its footprint as artificial intelligence and machine learning models demand massive amounts of high-quality labeled data.
In Huishui County of the province, lightweight video capture devices are recording real-world work movements in factories and other settings, effectively serving as "enlightenment teachers" for robots. Meanwhile, in the Gui'an New Area in the province, technicians are operating dozens of robots equipped with multiple sensors to record and annotate video data from logistics and transportation scenarios.
"To enable our data collection to enter some industrial and commercial scenarios is vital for training robots to develop a general-purpose, versatile brain," explained Yao Maoqing, head of the embodied intelligence business system at a robotics manufacturing firm.
Guizhou has identified data collection and annotation as a new growth driver and a priority industry for its digital economy development. The province has already attracted 135 data collection and annotation companies, employing more than 16,000 people.
"Within three years, we aim to build a high-quality dataset with a duration of one million hours to serve embodied intelligence enterprises across the country and even the world," said Liu Nijun, deputy general-manager of the data division at Guizhou Big Data Group.
Data annotation is the action of adding meaningful and informative tags to a dataset, making it easier for machine learning algorithms to understand and process the data.
The three-day expo concluded on Sunday, showcasing cutting-edge achievements and scenario-based applications across five key areas: computing infrastructure, data supply, model-driven development, data security, and intelligent experience.
Data annotation industry shines at 2026 Big Data Expo
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, on Sunday afternoon for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2026 and a state visit to Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov.
Upon arriving at the Manas International Airport, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were warmly welcomed by Japarov and his wife, Aigul Japarova.
Xi and Peng were treated to Kyrgyz delicacies and accorded a greeting steeped in the nation's traditions by local women.
Guards of honor lined up on both sides of a red carpet to salute the Chinese leader.
Both president and their spouses watched Kyrgyz cultural performances and displays, and listened to Chinese songs performed by local youngsters.
In a written speech, Xi extended sincere greetings and best wishes to Japarov and the people of Kyrgyzstan on behalf of the Chinese government and people.
Noting that China and Kyrgyzstan share a time-honored traditional friendship, Xi said that the majestic Tianshan Mountains stands as witnesses to the millennia of friendly exchanges between their peoples.
Over the 34 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the China-Kyrgyzstan relationship has withstood the test of a changing international landscape, maintained sound and steady development throughout, and reached the high level of a comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era.
In recent years, bilateral trade volume and people-to-people exchanges have reached new highs, Xi said, noting that major projects including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway have been successfully implemented, and the tangible results of mutually beneficial cooperation have broadly benefited the two peoples.
Xi said that during the visit he will have in-depth exchanges of views with Japarov on China-Kyrgyzstan relations, cooperation in various fields between the two countries, and international and regional issues of common concern, and draw a new blueprint for building a China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future.
Xi said he looks forward to attending the SCO Bishkek Summit, working with all parties to revisit the 25-year development experience of the SCO, jointly discuss cooperation plans, create the future of the organization, and promote the continuous new development of the organization.
Xi's entourage also includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister.
Xi arrives in Kyrgyzstan for SCO summit, state visit
