Across China: AI-powered solutions to bolster cybersecurity

FUZHOU -- A newly debuted cybersecurity robot, dubbed Q-GPT, has been riveting visitors at an ongoing cybersecurity-themed expo in Fuzhou, capital of East China's Fujian province.

Q-GPT is the latest product developed by cybersecurity provider QAX based on the company's large models. "Q-GPT is more like hiring a team of more than 60 security experts who can work around the clock to fend off potential risks," said a QAX employee.

A variety of AI-powered cybersecurity products and solutions are being showcased at the expo that started on Sunday, an event forming part of the 2023 China Cybersecurity Week.

Among them is a solution unveiled by Ant Group that can automatically detect face swap videos, forged pictures and texts, and provide verification reports to serve business scenarios such as retail, finance, livestreaming and gaming that offer generative AI services.

"Cybersecurity and AI are inextricably linked," said Tang Ning, an executive director of the China Cybersecurity Industry Alliance.

In the field of cybersecurity, people now use large models to solve problems and improve work efficiency, such as improving the efficiency of after-sales and customer services, he said, noting that he anticipates more extensive AI application in the field in the future.

In 2016, with the aim of bolstering cybersecurity and addressing the shortage of professionals, the Chinese government issued a circular to innovate a talent-training system within the field, promoting the development of cybersecurity majors and schools in universities.

At present, more than 60 universities have set up cybersecurity schools, and over 200 universities offer related undergraduate programs.

The expo in Fuzhou has reserved an area for outstanding achievements made by cybersecurity majors funded by a program aiming to spur innovation.

In the first phase of the program, four companies put forward 103 research topics, attracting 240 students from 10 universities to compete for the fund.

"The program offered a valuable opportunity, as this is the first time I've been able to solve real problems within the industry up close," Hu Yang from the Beijing-based Beihang University wrote in a summary of the program.