The Internet is shaping our lives. We already have online shopping services and mobile payment. However, this is just a start. The world's leading technology companies are planning to build smarter online communities. They discussed this at the World Internet Conference(会议), which was held in Wuzhen.
The development of artificial intelligence (AI) was a hot topic at the conference. If a machine can learn and solve problems as humans do, it can be called AI.
The company Alibaba uses AI technology in its unmanned supermarket in Wuzhen. There is no salesperson in the supermarkets, just a computer on a desk that says "please smile". If you smile, it gives you a lower price for your goods. The bigger you smile, the lower the price will be. Payment is done through your Alipay account (支付宝账户). When you first enter the supermarket, the supermarket's AI examines your face and connects you to your account.
There is also AI that can read lips (嘴唇). Sougou brought its lip-reading system to the conference. It examines your mouth's movements and turns them into voice or messages. This could be very useful when you are trying to talk to someone on your phone in a noisy place. Police could also use the technology to help them find criminals by lip-reading recordings from video cameras.
Another type of AI focuses on understanding human feelings. Microsoft chatbox XiaoIce can not only provide useful information but also chat with people like a real friend. XiaoIce has Wechat account. After following the account, users can start talking with her. She knows when to comfort you or tell jokes. She keeps improving herself by talking with users.
These technologies are being put into wider use. We may see a smarter world and better life in the near future.
