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Alibaba developing quantum chips to power diverse industries (LEAD)
Hangzhou (China), Sep 19 (IANS) China’s e-tailer giant Alibaba group is developing quantum chips (processors) to power a range of industries, including e-commerce, logistics, finance, materials and pharmaceuticals, a senior official said on Wednesday.
“Our DAMO Academy is developing quantum chips to power solutions for a range of industries, including e-commerce, logistics, finance, materials and pharmaceutics,” said Alibaba Chief Technology Officer Jeff Zhang at the group’s “Cloud Computing Conference 2018” in this scenic ancient city, about 180km southwest of Shanghai.
The acronym DAMO is Discovery, Adventure, Momentum and Outlook.
Unveiling the $40-billion group’s road map to develop disruptive technologies over the next five years on the opening day of the annual tech event, Zhang said the academy would launch its first AI (Artificial Intelligence) inference chip (AliNPU) in the second half of 2019 for using in autonomous driving, smart cities and smart logistics.
“We are confident that our advantages in algorithm, data intelligence, computing power and domain knowledge on the back of our diverse ecosystem will enable us to lead real technology breakthroughs in disruptive areas, such as quantum and chip technology,” Zhang said at the inaugural session of the four-day conference.
Alibaba also announced setting up a chip subsidiary for customising AI chips and embedded processors to support its cloud and IoT businesses and offer intelligent solutions to different industries.
The academy is the group’s global initiative to develop disruptive technologies for its cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) businesses and explore commercial applications in its diverse verticals spanning logistics, materials and pharma, which require greater computing power to achieve technology breakthroughs.
“We have been a leading innovator in cloud computing and AI since our announcement two years ago to transform the group into a technology powerhouse, The academy’s achievements over the past year underlies our commitment to technology leadership,” asserted Zhang.
The expansion to hardware reflects the academy’s conviction that the co-development of hardware and application will expedite the realization of quantum computing’s revolutionary potentials.
The academy will also spur R&D in AI chips for training on the cloud and IoT applications and build a cloud-based IoT infrastructure, with computational power for the company’s data centres and IoT businesses like smart homes and smart logistics.
With about 300 researchers worldwide, the academy focuses on machine intelligence, robotics, fintech, data computing and quantum computing.
University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are its global partners.
The company also announced ‘Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition’ to groom the next-generation math geniuses and raise awareness about the importance of this subject.
About 60,000 delegates, including technology leaders, experts and industry luminaries from the world are participating in the conference.
The tech summit is being held over a week after Alibaba founder-chairman Jack Ma announced on September 10 that he would step down and make way for Chief Executive Daniel Zhang to succeed him in September 2019.
Alibaba is headquartered in Hangzhou, the provincial capital of Zhejiang.
The ninth edition of the tech fest is featuring latest trends in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, internet of things and blockchain.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.