Chinese teen wins Apple coding competition

Chinese app developers are showcasing their talents at the Swift Student Challenge, a global coding competition for students held by the US tech company Apple Inc.

Ma Wentao, a seventeen-year-old student in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, is among one of the youngest Chinese students to win the competition this year. Ma's winning entry is an app that simulates the workings and basic functions of artificial intelligence neural networks. Remarkably, he accomplished this feat without utilizing native AI technology but instead hand-coded the functionality using Swift language.

Ma said this isn't his first rodeo at the Swift Student Challenge or his first victory. Back in 2022, his app, roughly translated as "AR Motion Head Movement," also clinched the prestigious award. Moreover, the app hit the App Store in February this year.

Apple said the winners for this year's Swift Student Challenge comprise a total of 350 individuals hailing from over 35 countries or regions around the globe.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, said earlier that Chinese developers are among the most vibrant and creative.