Key big data expo to open

The 2019 China International Big Data Industry Expo is expected to open this Sunday. As the most influential national event in the big data segment, the expo will welcome about 1,700 corporate executives, officials, experts and members of media from 38 countries and regions.

With the theme of "Data creates value, innovation drives the future", the expo will feature exhibitions, conventions, report releases, competitions and other activities.

A total of 448 companies will attend, compared with 388 last year. Among them, 156 are from the overseas. Only 56 overseas companies attended in 2018.

Wang Yongdong, Microsoft's corporate vice-president, said the company keeps close relations with Guiyang. Their cooperation includes the construction of a data laboratory, the Microsoft IT institute and training of professionals.

"From cloud computing to artificial intelligence, the digital transformation, driven by new technology, has brought many opportunities to the innovative development of companies and regions," he added.

Troy Haines, senior vice-president of SAS Institute, said during last year's event that the expo showed China's leading position in big data. The rest of the world is watching what will happen there in terms of applications of big data, he added.

Cecille El Beleidi, British consul-general in Chongqing, said the collaboration between the United Kingdom and Guizhou is strong and active, and the UK has engaged in the expo since its launch in 2015.

This year's expo will focus on expediting the application of big data to the real economy. Nine top-level talks will discuss the use of big data in poverty relief, digitalization of industries, media and technological innovation.

A total of 49 forums will focus on the digital economy, technological innovation, integrative development, data security, cooperation and communications. Among them, 15 forums will be organized by branches of ministries.

The exhibition area is about 60,000 square meters, involving global cutting-edge technology, digital applications, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Each category will have two exhibition halls. Attendees include Google, Dell, Pivotal and other overseas companies from 25 countries such as the US, UK, Germany, Canada and Australia.

The expo will also have six competitions involving artificial intelligence, automatic driving, apps in industries, internet security and big data analysis.