On October 16, Jiangsu Open University (JSOU) partnered with China Mobile Jiangsu, the Jiangsu Unicorn & Gazelle Enterprise Alliance, the Jiangsu Digital Economy Association, and the Jiangsu Innovation Ecology Research Institute to host the forum “Digital-Intelligent Integration and Forward Momentum: Creating New AI Application Scenarios.” The event brought together over 50 participants from provincial government departments, leading enterprises, and academic institutions.
Chaired by Ding Rongyu, Secretary of the JSOU Party Committee, the forum emphasized the need for universities to engage proactively with industry to help translate AI research into practical applications. He highlighted JSOU's collaboration with China Mobile Jiangsu under the “Co-creating an Intelligent Ecosystem” initiative, which aims to integrate policy guidance, industry needs, and academic expertise into scalable solutions for sectors such as smart manufacturing, logistics, and energy management.
Li Feng, Chairman and General Manager of China Mobile Jiangsu, noted the rapid development of AI and the key role unicorn companies play in driving its adoption. He introduced the company’s “Ten-Hundred-Thousand” partnership program, designed to foster open collaboration across sectors.
Guo Dongsheng, Vice Chair of the Jiangsu Federation of Industry and Commerce, shared that the province's AI sector has grown to over 400 billion RMB in scale. He reaffirmed the importance of private enterprises in AI innovation and pledged continued support for industry-academia collaboration.
During the discussion, representatives from 13 unicorn enterprises described challenges in AI implementation, including issues related to data silos and model optimization. They proposed establishing an industry data-sharing platform with China Mobile Jiangsu and deepening R&D cooperation with universities.
Provincial agencies including the Development and Reform Commission and the Department of Science and Technology expressed support through policy incentives and funding for collaborative AI projects.
In his closing remarks, Ding Rongyu outlined three key outcomes: a demand-driven approach to cooperation, a focus on solving specific application challenges, and the establishment of a long-term coordination mechanism to move AI solutions from the lab to the field.
The forum reinforced JSOU’s role as a bridge between industry, government, and academia. The university will continue to strengthen external collaboration to support Jiangsu’s growth as a leader in artificial intelligence.
