An aerial view of Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]

"We need more real-life application trials. For instance, can Hangzhou put intelligent logistics vehicles into use at 100 residential communities in the city?" said Qiu Jianping, chairman of the Zhejiang Artificial Intelligence Union (ZAIU), on promoting the development of the National Innovative Development Pilot Area for New-Generation Artificial Intelligence (AI).

On Oct 17, 2019, the Ministry of Science and Technology gave Hangzhou permission to develop itself into a national pilot area for AI.

A technician operates a mechanical arm at a factory in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]

According to statistics released by the Hangzhou science and technology bureau, in 2019, 212 AI companies in Hangzhou were listed as large-scale AI companies at the provincial level.

These 212 companies generated 115.8 billion yuan ($16.55 billion) in business revenue, a year-on-year increase of 16.9 percent.

Hangzhou now has 523 large-scale companies, receiving a combined total of 2,173 new patents of invention last year. This accounts for 18.51 percent of all new patents in the city.

The city boasts 10 leading AI companies recognized by Zhejiang authorities, accounting for 83 percent of all such companies in the province.

Hangzhou plans to introduce 40 skilled workers specializing in artificial intelligence, 1,000 high-caliber researchers, and 5,000 highly skilled technicians from across the globe by 2023.