How Shenzhen can win the ‘AI for science’ race

The next frontier in artificial intelligence is not just about building larger models, but about leveraging AI to dramatically shorten the scientific discovery cycle. This involves integrating hypothesis formation, simulations, experimental design, equipment operation, data collection, and learning into a cohesive process.

The United States has signaled this shift with its Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission, aiming to create an integrated discovery platform across 17 national laboratories to double research productivity. This initiative includes international partnerships, highlighting AI for science as essential infrastructure.

China is pursuing a similar direction, with Beijing planning common scientific-intelligence infrastructure and Shanghai offering significant investment support for AI-related projects. However, the article suggests Shenzhen should avoid simply copying these models. Instead, it should capitalize on its unique strengths.

Shenzhen's comparative advantage lies in its innovation economy, marked by the highest R&D intensity among Chinese cities. Crucially, over 93 percent of this R&D spending comes from companies, indicating a close proximity between research, engineering, and commercial deployment. This integration is vital for AI for science, as the challenge extends beyond developing algorithms to creating reliable scientific tools.