The 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) opens in Shanghai on September 1, 2022. Photo: Xie Jun/GT

Chinese internet giants are focusing on a concept of "tech for social good" at this year's World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), which opened on Thursday in Shanghai, where they seek to highlight their efforts in addressing challenges brought about by certain advanced technologies and supporting sectors related to people's livelihood.

The trend shows positive signs of internet platforms embracing regulations aimed at protecting national security and consumer rights and ensuring sustainable development, as well as proactively seeking new business models and opportunities, industry analysts noted.

This year's WAIC, one of the largest artificial intelligence (AI) gatherings in the country, attracted more than 200 exhibitors, including internet giants Alibaba and Tencent. More than 30 percent of the exhibitors attended the event for the first time. Services, products and events focusing on "tech for social good" became a major theme at the event this year. 

During the forum on AI governance, Fu Hongyu, deputy director of the Center of Data Economy under Aliresearch, said that AI technologies have brought about some new problems and challenges during their application, such as the impact of search algorithms on personal privacy, as well as how the algorithms of pricing would affect consumers' rights. 

Fu called on companies to address those risks through efforts such as improving technologies to handle AI risks, as well as sorting out important links in AI governance to cope with potential hazards.

Several of Alibaba's senior executives will attend a forum on Friday to discuss the digital age's technology responsibilities to create social values. 

Tencent also displayed at its stand some of the company's efforts to push tech for social good, such as a public benefit innovation competition named "Light." It also showed how its tech laboratory has provided AI solutions to support agriculture, astronomy and other sectors related to people's livelihood. 

The companies' drive to demonstrate achievements and plans in integrating technologies and social well-being is a reflection of their efforts to "embrace" government regulation and correct business deviations following a recent regulatory campaign that resulted in fines and orders for companies to undergo rectification, experts noted.

The 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) opens in Shanghai on September 1, 2022. Photo: Xie Jun/GT

Chen Jia, an independent international strategy research fellow, told the Global Times on Thursday that internet companies' stress on tech for social good shows those companies' consideration of coordinating with government regulation and shouldering responsibility, but it is not just a passive choice, as it's a strategy companies take in the face of global tech challenges.

Wu Qi, executive dean of the Wuxi Institute of Digital Economy, told the Global Times that internet firms' pursuit of social good is done out of consideration for regulatory requirements. It's also a chance for companies to push strategic and business transitions, so that they can create new business models and search for new business opportunities in the process of addressing social problems. 

"Especially against the background of common prosperity, companies need to achieve the unity of social values and commercial values, and to incorporate social welfare and public appeal into their business strategy and operation," Wu said.