百度与上海宝山共建超前智能城市，打造人工智能产业集聚高地– The Paper
What happened: Chinese internet giant Baidu and Shanghai’s Baoshan District will team up to construct a smart city that integrates artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and cloud computing technologies. The project aims to smarten up homes, transportation, education, security, medical care, and city management in the demonstration zone which covers an area of 300 square kilometers.
Why it’s important: After engaging in the R&D of AI and autonomous driving technologies for several years, Baidu is moving fast to apply its research results for pilot testing or commercial uses. This is the third partnership Baidu has announced within this week. The company launched a partnership with Ford to test self-driving cars on roads in China on November 1, only two days after launching a self-driving taxi and bus service in Changsha City. In addition, the company has formed cooperation deals with more than 10 provinces and cities such as Beijing, Changchun, Hefei, Ningbo, Xiong’an, Qingdao and Chongqing.