This illustration photo shows big data and clouding computing technologies. [Photo/VCG]

Shandong province has encouraged local enterprises to increase investment in artificial intelligence as AI is increasingly perceived as a major driver to increase revenue and accelerate business transformation that is increasingly integrated into the real economy.

At present, there are nearly 1,000 AI backbone enterprises in the province, nearly 70 percent of which are located in the Jinan-Qingdao AI innovation and application pilot zone. The output value of the zone's core industry exceeds 10 billion yuan ($1.45 billion), and the scale of AI related industries exceeds 100 billion yuan.

The establishment of the AI innovation and application pilot zone is a strategic measure of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for the development of the intelligent economy.

Shandong has the advantages of a leading manufacturing industry, as well as big data resources and application scenarios. In recent years, AI technology has been promoted and applied in various economic and societal areas at an accelerated pace.

Jinan, capital of Shandong province, has launched an AI empowerment campaign, which forms AI application scenarios and solution resource pools focusing on manufacturing, medical care, education, and other key industries. The scale of the AI core industry in Jinan reached 27.1 billion yuan last year, up 17.6 percent year-on-year.

In February, the Qingdao AI Industrial Park opened. It was the first to start operation among 15 professional parks dedicated to emerging industries in the city.

According to the Implementation Plan for Integrated Development of the Jinan-Qingdao AI Innovation and Application Pilot Zone, Shandong will preliminarily establish the AI industrial ecological chain with Jinan and Qingdao as the leading cities in the province. In addition, the output value of the AI core industry in the pilot zone will reach about 30 billion yuan by 2025.