(NBD) Sept. 6 -- China has drawn global attention for its rapid rise in the artificial intelligence (AI) field. According to a new report from Goldman Sachs, China's AI sector is catching up to the U.S. and China is now becoming an AI world power.

The report titled “China’s Rise in Artificial Intelligence” also shows that China now has most of the resources, driving force, and government support which it takes to create an intelligent economy powered by AI and deep learning.

From 2010 to 2014, the number of AI patent applications in China reached 8410, up 186% compared with the that of the previous five years, according to Nikkei Asian Review.

China's achievement in the AI sector is driven by a series of preferential plannings, such as the Plan of Developing New Generation of Artificial Intelligence.

The research input from Chinese government also enhances the development of Chins' AI technology. Over the past decade, the input from Chinese government for AI R&D grew at an averaged two-digit rate every year. 

Meanwhile, China's technology giants are making inroads into the AI sector. For instance, Baidu, Didi Chuxing and Tencent all have set up the AI research labs.

"In terms of AI's application, China's active and large-scale input both from the government and enterprises are coming faster than foreign countries." said Tracy Tsai, the Research Vice President of Gartner.

The booming AI industry has attracted highly qualified and educated overseas returnees back to China and they become the mainstay of the industry.

"Talents are the key to the development of AI and it is beneficial that highly qualified and highly educated overseas returnees are back to China for the AI industry. A talent pool is very much needed in the basic research in China, but talents are not cultivated in one day. But the experienced overseas returnees and experts who once worked in Microsoft Research Asia, Google and IBM or other foreign companies may fill in the gap," said Tracy Tsai.

Email: zhanglingxiao@nbd.com.cn