The highest award for intelligence science and technology in China, the Wu Wenjun Artificial Intelligence (AI) Science and Technology Award, was held in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, on April 13, 2024.

Inaugurated on Jan 6, 2011, the Wu Wenjun Artificial Intelligence (AI) Science and Technology Award, sponsored by the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAAI) and named after the pioneering figure Wu Wenjun in China's intelligence science and technology, is hailed as the top honor for the field of AI in China.

In 2023, a total of 70 projects and individuals received recognition, with one recipient earning the Highest Achievement Award and three others claiming the Outstanding Contribution Award.

Gao Wen, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and director of Pengcheng Laboratory, was honored with the Wu Wenjun AI Highest Achievement Award. Gao spearheaded the establishment of the Audio Video Coding Standards Workgroup of China (AVS), promoting a groundbreaking advancement in China’s digital video industry.

He contributed to the formulation of the Plan for Development of the New Generation of Artificial Intelligence, and led the workflow of instituting the IEEE Standard for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Model Representation, Compression, Distribution, and Management, the inaugural international standard for AI technology worldwide.

He is also known as the president of AITISA — A New Generation of Artificial Intelligence Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance.

An array of professors were honored with the AI Outstanding Contribution Award, including Li Shutao, vice-president of Hunan University, Zhao Xianming, president of the School of Future Technology at the Harbin Institute of Technology and the founder of Beijing Hongshan Information Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd., and Du Junping, director of the Computer Application Technology Center at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications.

In addition to the previously mentioned categories, the Wu Wenjun AI Science and Technology Awards present a variety of other categories such as the AI Natural Science Award that honored six individuals including Lin Zhouchen from Peking University and Wei Qinglai from the Institute of Automation of the CAS.

Furthermore, there were six winners of the AI Technology Invention Award.. 22 awardees of the AI Technology Progress Award, and two chip research projects recognized as winners of the AI Special Award. Fifteen exceptional individuals were declared winners of the AI Excellent Youth Award.

Additionally, ten papers and an additional five nominated papers were recognized as the Wu Wenjun AI Outstanding Doctoral Dissertations.

Source: WeChat official account of the HOME Program, VOC