Tools & Platforms
Tech firms up ante on open-source AI models
Chinese companies are doubling down on open-source artificial intelligence-powered models as part of a broader push to bring fast-evolving AI technology to more businesses and developers worldwide, and bolster its application in a diverse range of fields.
Experts said the open-source approach will lower the threshold for the development and application of AI, greatly reduce computing power costs, and foster the sharing of AI tech around the world, as well as boost collaboration and innovation.
The recent progress in open-source large language models has showcased China”s growing technological prowess and open attitude in the AI domain, given that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek’s open-source models have taken the world by surprise, they added.
Tech heavyweight Alibaba Group has stepped up efforts to enable broad access to its AI technology and innovations by releasing large language models from its Qwen family as open-source, and boasting China’s largest AI open-source community platform, ModelScope.
The company has made more than 200 generative AI models open-source in recent years. The models have multimodal capacities and can process and generate various types of content, covering text, images, audio and video.
ModelScope, which was launched in November 2022, hosts over 70,000 open-source models, and the user base has expanded from 1 million in April 2023 to 16 million as of June 30, serving 16 million developers from 36 countries around the world.
It supports developers in experiencing, downloading, fine-tuning, training and deploying models. Various types of open-source AI models have been included in the community.
“We aim to simplify and reduce the cost of developing, customizing and deploying AI models for developers and corporations, thereby enabling the creation of revolutionary AI applications that have a positive impact on society,” said Zhou Jingren, chief technology officer at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, emphasizing they are committed to making AI models more accessible and easier to use.
Baidu Inc has recently open-sourced its multimodal LLM Ernie 4.5 series, consisting of 10 distinct variants. The model family includes mixture-of-experts (MoE) models with 47 billion and 3 billion parameters, the largest model having 424 billion parameters, alongside a 0.3 billion dense model. The Ernie 4.5, launched in March, is Baidu’s multimodal foundational model.
The company said the MoE architecture has the advantages of enhanced multimodal understanding and improved performance on text-related tasks. All models are trained with optimal efficiency using the PaddlePaddle deep learning framework, which enables highper-formance inference and streamlined deployment.
Experimental results show that the models achieve state-of-the-art performance across multiple text and multimodal benchmarks, particularly in instruction following, knowledge memorization, visual understanding and multimodal reasoning.
Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, said the open-source approach adopted by a string of Chinese AI companies will lower the technical threshold, speed up the popularization of AI tech across various sectors including automobiles, manufacturing, finance and education, and allow more enterprises and developers to participate in AI research and development.
Zhu believes technological innovation is unstoppable, and international cooperation serves as an important way to promote the development of AI tech, adding that China’s open and inclusive attitude helps promote the advancement of the global AI industry.
“Open source will allow resource-constrained startups, small businesses and entrepreneurial developers to access cutting-edge AI tech and build their own models more cost-effectively,” said Pan Helin, a member of the Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy, which is part of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Pan said it will accelerate AI technological advancements and breakthroughs by enabling global developers to create customized industry-specific models, and foster a more competitive and diverse AI ecosystem.
Chinese AI companies have the ability to take the lead in global AI innovation, as they have sought an alternative AI development approach that emphasizes efficiency and open-source collaboration — which is different from their US counterparts — while reshaping the global AI landscape, Pan added.
The market size of the nation’s AI sector will reach 1.73 trillion yuan ($241.2 billion) by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, said market research firm CCID Consulting.
Tools & Platforms
Exploring AI and Emerging Technologies: A Special Event for UK Schools for Girls
This was the second edition of the annual ‘AI Educational Revolution’ event. This hybrid event is co-organised by UCL Computer Science, GSA (Girls School Association) and Guernsey Ladies’ College. The series was developed as a way of inspiring secondary school girls to explore AI and STEM opportunities and to consider how they can shape their own futures in these rapidly evolving fields.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries across the globe, influencing everything from global politics to creative sectors such as fashion. This year’s event offered students a unique opportunity to learn about the role of AI in shaping the future, with a focus on how AI is revolutionising careers and education.
Keynote Speakers and Topics
Leading experts from UCL, the government, and industry took to the stage to discuss AI’s impact on various sectors. The session covered everything from AI in geopolitics to its creative applications, with a particular emphasis on how these technologies are influencing education, career paths, and social inclusion.
Predicting Our Future: The Role of STEM
Insight on AI and Geopolitics
Ms. Jo Miller, Director of Technology at the UK Civil Service, kicked off the event with a thought-provoking talk about the vital role STEM and AI play in global geopolitics and technological futures.
The Power of Women in AI
Jo highlighted the importance of women and girls in shaping AI’s future. She posed the question, “What do you want the future to say?” and encouraged the audience to engage with AI to influence its direction.
Overcoming Barriers in Tech
Drawing from her own career in tech, Jo shared how her humanities background didn’t hinder her success. She urged students to pursue their ambitions in tech, regardless of their starting point.
AI in Education: Shaping the Future
AI and Career Paths
Daniele Harford-Fox, Principal of Guernsey Ladies’ College, discussed how AI is reshaping both education and the workforce. She highlighted the significant impact AI could have on professions like medicine, where many tasks may be automated.
The Importance of Human Skills in Some Fields
While AI may transform many areas, Daniele pointed out that certain roles, such as nursing, will still require human expertise and care, stressing the importance of these skills in the workforce of the future.
AI in Multisensory Experiences
Engaging the Senses
Prof. Marianna Obrist (Multi-Sensory Devices Lab at UCL Computer Science) introduced the concept of “AI in Multisensory Experiences.” She showcased how AI is enabling new ways to interact with the world through multiple senses, creating richer, more engaging experiences.
Humanising Technology
Her research focuses on incorporating more ‘humaness’ into technology. Prof. Obrist demonstrated how sensory experiences are being used in places like retail outlets and museums, as well as in therapeutic settings, such as using scent to enhance body image perception.
AI in Fashion and Beauty
AI’s Impact on Creative Industries
Prof. Philip Treleaven from UCL discussed how AI technologies, including ChatGPT, are transforming the fashion and beauty sectors. He highlighted the use of AI to create digital influencers, automate processes like dexterous sewing robots, and help brands like Shein to capitalise on trends and produce designs at an unprecedented pace.
AI for Social Inclusion
AI’s Potential for Education
Steve Grix, an expert in GENAIE and CAPTR, concluded the talks by discussing the use of AI for social inclusion. He introduced GENAIE, a generative AI platform designed to personalise education for disadvantaged communities.
AI Bridging Educational Gaps
Steve demonstrated how quickly GENAIE could generate lesson plans, showcasing its potential to bridge educational gaps and offer new learning opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds.
UCAS Applications and Q&A Session
In addition to the expert talks, students were given guidance on making a UCAS application. The event concluded with a lively Q&A session, where students had the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with the speakers. The students’ thoughtful and ethical questions impressed the expert panel, sparking deeper discussions about the future role of AI in shaping both careers and society.
When asked for final thoughts, some of the students concluded the concepts and predictions gave them cause to think, but they wouldn’t let it deter them from their career aspirations.
As AI continues to revolutionise a broad range of industries, this event provides an invaluable platform for students to engage with the technologies that will shape their futures. It also highlighted the importance of diverse input into the development of AI and the opportunities for young women to drive change in this field.
Tools & Platforms
China’s first bachelor’s program in AI education to address teacher shortage-Xinhua
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) — Beijing Normal University (BNU) has launched China’s first undergraduate program dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) education, aiming to address a critical shortage of specialized teachers in the field.
The initiative aligns with government directives to boost AI education across primary and secondary schools nationwide, the Science and Technology Daily reported on Wednesday.
In late 2024, the Ministry of Education issued a directive calling for measures to advance AI education in primary and secondary schools.
This year, Beijing’s municipal authorities issued a dedicated AI education plan for 2025-2027, demanding the establishment of regular teaching systems and standardized curricula.
“The shortage of qualified instructors and the lack of specialized training remain major obstacles,” said an official from BNU’s Faculty of Education, adding that the program’s core mission is to train educators equipped with both advanced AI technical skills and strong pedagogical expertise.
“We are leveraging our unique interdisciplinary strengths to cultivate talent that supports the country’s strategic drive toward intelligent education,” the official said.
Unlike purely technical AI degrees, BNU’s AI Education program integrates two essential knowledge streams. The curriculum combines an AI technology module, covering generative AI, machine learning, natural language processing, and educational data mining, with a foundation in education science, including learning theory, psychology, curriculum design and assessment.
The program also plans to introduce practical innovation courses, such as the application of AI technologies in education.
In addition, compulsory courses cover topics such as AI ethics and data security, instilling in students a core philosophy of “technology serving education,” according to BNU.
Beyond theory, the program fosters practical skills through a unique “university-enterprise-school” collaborative training model, which helps immerse students in real-world teaching environments and technical development projects.
Career prospects in the AI education field are broad, with graduates well-prepared to become AI or information technology teachers, driving digital transformation in primary and secondary schools.
The booming educational technology sector also needs their expertise to develop and refine AI-driven learning platforms and courses. Further career paths include academic research, educational management, and shaping AI education policy, according to the BNU’s Faculty of Education.
“AI advancements are reshaping society at unprecedented rates, profoundly altering education,” said Yu Shengquan, executive director of BNU’s Advanced Innovation Center for Future Education.
“Developing ‘digital citizens’ equipped for this new reality is now a central educational imperative,” Yu added.
The center has previously partnered with Chinese tech giant Tencent to develop a comprehensive AI knowledge framework and curriculum spanning elementary, middle and high school levels, according to Yu. ■
Tools & Platforms
Osborne Clarke strengthens AI capabilities: Marc Ohrendorf appointed Chief of Staff to the international AI Management Board
Osborne Clarke is expanding its AI team in a key strategic role: Marc Ohrendorf, a recognised expert in legal tech and artificial intelligence, is joining as Chief of Staff to the AI Management Board. In this position, he will enhance international collaboration on AI within the firm and support the implementation of Osborne Clarke’s global AI strategy.
In his new role, Marc Ohrendorf will provide operational support to the international AI Management Board (AIMB) and work closely with teams across jurisdictions. The Board, led Osborne Clarke partner Gereon Abendroth, oversees the firm’s AI initiatives. As a central link between management, legal professionals, and technology development, Marc will play a pivotal role in executing the firm’s AI strategy and coordinating AI-related efforts across offices.
As a pioneer in the legal sector, Osborne Clarke has long focused on delivering legal services through innovative and technology-driven solutions. To harness the potential of generative AI, the firm established a high-calibre team of AI experts and created the necessary infrastructure at an early stage. Notably, Osborne Clarke was among the first law firms to develop and successfully implement its own AI chatbot to optimise internal workflows – a clear example of its commitment to embedding AI in day-to-day operations.
With over ten years of experience in digital product management, legal tech and the legal market, Marc combines legal expertise with a sound understanding of technology. He is the founder and host of the career podcast ‘Irgendwas mit Recht’, which has been shedding light on personalities and developments in the legal sector since 2018. Previous positions have taken him to Wolters Kluwer Germany (LTO.de) and the IWW Institute, where he was responsible for digital business models and product development in leading roles. He is an honorary director at the Bucerius Center on the Legal Profession, where he works on the interface between law, digitalisation and AI.
“The transformation of legal services through AI is one of the defining challenges of our time – and also a tremendous opportunity for Osborne Clarke. We’re delighted to welcome Marc Ohrendorf, a professional who combines strategic vision, technological know-how, and deep insight into the legal market,” says Gereon Abendroth, Chair of the international AI Management Board.
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