On 7 November 2020, the SCO Secretariat hosted a meeting between Secretary-General Vladimir Norov and Max Yuan, founder and chairman of the Xiao-i artificial intelligence company.
The parties discussed cooperation on the use of modern artificial intelligence technology, big data and 5G networks in the SCO countries.
Mr Norov told the Xiao-i delegation about the established legal and regulatory framework in the field of information technology and mechanisms of cooperation and interaction within the SCO for 19 years.
He noted the increasing role of digital technologies and IT during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the relevance of the SCO cooperation concept in digitalisation and information and communication technologies, adopted in 2019 in Bishkek, according to which the member states agreed to cooperate in such areas as smart city, Internet of Things, big data processing technologies, artificial intelligence, blockchain technologies, intelligent control systems, etc.
The SCO Secretary-General reported on the strategies to develop artificial intelligence adopted in the SCO member countries, and also emphasised the importance of getting young people involved in their implementation through public-private partnerships.
He spoke about the webinars and events held at the Secretariat, which are aimed at enhancing the potential and creating ecosystems in the SCO member states to develop high technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Mr Norov also stressed the importance of developing a programme of cooperation on artificial intelligence between the SCO member states, by attracting the best practices of the member states, as well as creating an appropriate cooperation platform for the exchange of experience.
In this regard, he suggested that Xiao-i give a presentation of its activities in the SCO Secretariat for the diplomatic corps of the SCO and ASEAN member states.
Mr Yuan presented a summary of Xiao-i's history and development stages. Since its establishment in 2001 in Shanghai, the company has gone through several stages of development associated with artificial intelligence.
He expressed hope to use the SCO platform for bringing Xiao-i products and services to the member states' markets.
"We provide services to leading companies in China such as Alibaba, Haidilao, Huawei, JD.com, Ctrip.com, SF, Xiaomi and 50 major banks.
The company's top priorities are expanding services for small businesses, manufacturing equipment with embedded software using artificial intelligence, as well as going abroad," said Mr Yuan.
The company is on the list of the world's largest artificial intelligence companies compiled by the Gartner analytical company; its investors and shareholders are the companies Alibaba, Geely, Zhongqin, Guangda, etc.
The SCO Secretary-General proposed working out a specific plan of interaction between the SCO Secretariat and the company, taking into account the SCO member states' great potential to develop artificial intelligence.
