On May 6, the inaugural POI Cup China-Singapore College Students' AI Modeling Competition successfully concluded at CSIJRI. Approximately 1,300 participants, organized into 1,176 teams from 29 provinces, submitted 4,566 proposals. Following several months of preliminary competition rounds, 12 teams progressed to the finals. These teams, comprised mostly of master's degree students or higher, primarily hailed from Zhejiang University, Sun Yat-sen University, Beihang University, East China Normal University, UESTC, South China Normal University, and Guangzhou City Polytechnic, underwent rigorous evaluation by an expert panel.
Under the guidance of the CSGKC Cooperation Affairs Office, the event was organized by CSIJRI and POI-TECH with the support of the XUST Guangzhou Office, the GKC School-Enterprise Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association, the GKC International Intellectual Property Promotion Association, and China-Singapore Smart Park. It also received support from media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency, Guangzhou Daily, Nanfang Daily, China Paper Magazine, and Zhiqiao Technology.
The panel of judges included:
· Mr. Liu Huanbin, an international academician of the Russian Academy of Engineering, former
president of SCUT, and chief scientist at POI-TECH.
· Mr. Zhou Chuanshi, former second-level inspector of Guangdong Political Affairs and Digital Support Bureau.
· Mr. Wang Bo, CEO of Vinda Group.
· Mr. Li Weihua, president of the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering at SCUT.
· Mr. Zhu Jizhong, professor at the School of Electric Power at SCUT and IEEE Fellow.
· Mr. Li Jigeng, CEO of POI-TECH.
· Mr. Huang Tao, POI-TECH algorithm expert.
Additionally, Mr. Gao Xinguo, a fourth-level researcher in the Industrial Internet Division of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, and Zheng Yong, Party Secretary and Director of the GKC Cooperation Affairs Office, Mr. Xie Xinghua, and Mr. Gu Haiwen were present on behalf of CSIJRI.
The contest centred on traditional manufacturing to expedite the establishment of a modern industrial system bolstered by the real economy. The primary aim was to foster the metamorphosis of traditional industries by harnessing cutting-edge information technology. The event targeted quality concerns within the paper industry's production. Participants were assigned the task of attaining real-time tensile strength measurement through data analysis and modelling. The conclusive defence took place both offline and online. A total of one first prize, one second prize, five third prizes, and four honourable mentions were conferred. Teams representing Zhejiang University, South China Normal University, and East China Normal University clinched the top three spots respectively. On the same day, the 12 finalist teams were officially included in the CSIJRI AI database, where they stand to benefit from talent policies encompassing outstanding talent selection, entrepreneurial mentorship from seasoned experts, and assistance for project initiatives.
The conference also held the unveiling ceremony of Process AI Open Laboratory and AI Youth Talent Database. Government leaders, representatives of the expert team, and representatives of the organizers jointly unveiled the ceremony.
Innovation and talent play pivotal roles in enterprise digitalization. The event has nurtured a cohort of innovative AI professionals dedicated to advancing this important cause. The collaboration between industry and research has facilitated cooperative education initiatives between universities and enterprises, opening up new pathways for talent grooming in China and Singapore. It has ignited a passion among college students to harness cutting-edge information technology to drive the high-quality development of traditional manufacturing industries. "Overcoming the four transformation barriers is essential for enabling enterprises to achieve high-quality development. The technological achievements of the competition are poised to contribute significantly to the transformation of traditional manufacturing industries," remarked Mr Liu Huanbin during his speech.
During the dialogue that day, Dr. Wang Bo, representing Vida Group, highlighted the challenge facing the manufacturing industry: the reluctance of young people to enter factories. However, he also saw this as an opportunity. "I'm glad to see student' active participation. If they have good models, our company is glad to implement them," he stated. Professor Li Weihua and other academicians expressed their desire to see more participation from manufacturing companies to reshape their image. They highlighted students' ability to identify problems and ask questions, noting it was where AI couldn't replace humans. Furthermore, they emphasized industrial AI development is a new frontier, and students were encouraged to focus on research goals to address practical problems.
With the contest's conclusion, the Process AI Open Laboratory and the AI Young Talent Database were officially unveiled. CSIJRI and POI-TECH are committed to advancing process AI in traditional manufacturing by enhancing research and innovation, empowering digital and green enterprise transformation, and injecting new momentum into high-quality industrial development. Concurrently, they remain focused on cultivating innovative talent to expedite the harmonious development of the economy and society.
