Chapter 529 The Importance of Visual Applications
"Mr. Song, you are too polite. How dare you bother to greet me in person?"
Zhu Songchun took two quick steps and shook hands with Song Ci, his words full of genuine surprise and emotion.
Given Song Ci's current status and busy schedule, the fact that he was willing to wait for him in person in the parking lot was a gesture of courtesy that exceeded his expectations.
"Professor Zhu is a national hero, and this is the way it should be." Song Ci's words were brief, but full of respect.
His eyes then fell on the young man next to Zhu Songchun.
At the age of eighteen or nineteen, he was full of vigor and spirit, with a look of confidence and sharpness that was unique to a genius, making him feel as if he saw himself many years ago.
“Who is this…?”
Zhu Songchun then remembered to introduce: "His name is Lin Ziren, he is my student. I brought him here to broaden his horizons. Don't blame me, Mr. Song."
"Welcome, classmate Lin!" Song Ci smiled and nodded to Lin Ziren. His attitude was friendly and natural, and he did not show any neglect because of the other party's young age.
"Please go upstairs, both of you. I have prepared refreshments."
The consulate's conference room was elegantly and solemnly decorated. Soft lighting shone on the wooden table, and a few cups of tea curled up, emitting a delicate aroma.
After a few pleasantries, Song Ci put down his teacup, his expression turned serious, and he made a straightforward invitation:
"Professor Zhu, on behalf of Tengda Technology and also on behalf of Peking University, I sincerely invite you to return to China for development."
Zhu Songchun did not express his opinion immediately. He picked up the teacup, gently blew away the floating leaves, took a sip, and then asked a key question:
"Mr. Song, I'm very curious and have been thinking about this. Given Tengda's current business layout and technological reserves, why are you so determined to invite me? What exactly is it that you are looking for?"
Song Ci's eyes were as sharp as a torch, and he answered with a resounding voice: "Because I want to invite you to join me in defining the next era!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhu Songchun's hand holding the teacup paused for a moment, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes.
Lin Ziren, who was sitting upright on the side, felt as if his heart was hit by a heavy hammer. An extremely dazzling light suddenly burst out of his eyes and he stared at Song Ci closely.
These seven words, defining the next era, hold an irresistible power for truly ambitious researchers and entrepreneurs.
Song Ci's words were no mere exaggeration. My thoughts raced through the air, a grand vision woven from technology and foresight clearly emerging in my mind.
In the wave of mobile Internet, after WeChat and Wechat, the next super application that can penetrate cultural barriers and connect billions of users around the world must be Douyin and TikTok.
And this gentle scholar in front of us, whose deep research in the field of computer vision is the core key to opening the door to the future.
The traditional recommendation system is like a "myopic person" who relies on tags and keywords and can only guess the content based on the limited information marked by users.
Zhu Songchun's research can give algorithms a pair of true "eyes" that can penetrate pixels and directly understand the inherent meaning of videos.
It can not only identify specific regions, scenes and objects, but also capture the movements of people and even perceive the emotional atmosphere of "tranquil healing" or "inspiring and progressive" flowing through the picture.
This will enable content classification and recommendation to leap from rough "type matching" to sophisticated "context and emotional resonance".
When the platform can continuously push videos that truly match users' interests and current moods, user satisfaction and usage time will naturally increase.
Not only that, Zhu Songchun's profound attainments in the field of vision are the cornerstone for building the next generation of immersive interactive experience.
It will drive more realistic, intelligent and creative AR filters, real-time beauty and dynamic stickers.
It allows virtual elements to seamlessly integrate with the real world, greatly enriching the fun and expressiveness of creation.
Looking into the future, this technology will be able to enable AI video generation, intelligent editing and music visualization matching.
Lowering the threshold for video creation to an unprecedented low, stimulating the creative potential of all people and forming an ever-growing creative ecosystem.
Ambition rose and spread in Song Ci's heart:
It integrates Zhu Songchun's breakthrough achievements in computer vision with the more advanced multimodal fusion recommendation algorithm that the Tenda team is currently working on.
He had every confidence that he could create a short video app that was smarter and more attractive than any product he remembered in his previous life.
The thinking scope of Song Ci continues to expand, beyond the boundaries of entertainment.
On the e-commerce platform Pinduoduo, computer vision can achieve real-time product recognition by taking pictures to find similar products and even in video content.
Build a seamless consumption closed loop of "what you see is what you buy", and completely open up the last step from content stimulation to transaction conversion.
It can also equip Dewen’s autonomous driving technology with smart eyes to achieve accurate understanding and prediction of complex scenarios.
As his thoughts gradually calmed down, Song Ci looked at Zhu Songchun with burning eyes and said sincerely:
"Professor, a new era is about to emerge. A great product that can lead global trends and support the lives of billions of users like WeChat, its core intelligent engine, is waiting for you to personally build it.
Isn’t it an extremely fascinating and challenging feat to be involved in such an era-defining undertaking?”
The pattern and prospects contained in this proposal caused ripples in Zhu Songchun's usually calm heart.
After a moment's hesitation, he asked a crucial question concerning practical implementation: "Mr. Song, your vision is inspiring. So, what scale of investment does Tenda Technology plan to make in the field of artificial intelligence?"
"Tengda Technology's investment in artificial intelligence will be unlimited, regardless of cost!
I can make it clear here that the initial investment is 10 billion yuan, and this is just the foundation.
At the same time, Tenda will build Asia's most powerful computing center "Jiuzhang".
If you are willing to join Tenda, you will have autonomy over the entire AI laboratory, from naming, research direction, technical route to team formation.
Tenda Technology will always be your strongest supporter and resource provider, and will never interfere with your research and management."
Regardless of cost, tens of billions of funds, the strongest computing power in Asia, and absolute autonomy!
These key words struck Zhu Songchun's heart like a heavy hammer.
Before the meeting, he had an in-depth understanding that Song Ci's investment in technological research and development has always been known for its huge courage and long-term vision.
More importantly, Tenda Technology's strong profitability and healthy cash flow are a solid guarantee for this commitment to continue for many years.
This is a huge advantage that no university or even most research institutions can achieve.
Song Ci keenly captured the subtle changes in Zhu Songchun's expression, which was a sign that rational considerations began to tilt towards inner yearning.
I decided to throw the last card, the one that would most touch the scientist: “Professor, I have studied your academic philosophy in depth.
You have always advocated that AI research should serve human society and solve major real-world problems.
I strongly agree with this, and it is highly consistent with Tenda Technology's values.
We are eager and committed to applying the most cutting-edge AI technology to broad areas that are related to national economy and people's livelihood.
Whether it is precise diagnosis in smart healthcare, efficient governance in smart cities, or digital restoration of cultural heritage.
What we pursue is always the unity and win-win of commercial value and social value."
…
There was silence in the Lincoln car on the way back, which was completely different from the lively atmosphere of discussing academic issues when we came.
Lin Ziren keenly noticed the unusualness of his mentor and looked at Zhu Songchun calmly.
The professor leaned back in his chair and looked out the window at the Los Angeles scenery passing by quickly.
At this moment, his face no longer had the purity that he usually had when immersed in formulas and theorems. Instead, it was replaced by a deep and complex expression that was a mixture of weighing and yearning.
Lin Ziren knew in his heart that his mentor's heart, which had once been firmly rooted in the North American academic community, had been moved by the young richest Chinese man.
The conditions offered by Song Ci were so generous that it was hard to refuse.
Not to mention the research funding regardless of cost, the industry's top salary and benefits, and the dual halo and platform of "Chief Scientific Advisor of Tenda Technology" and "Dean of Peking University AGI Research Institute."
Song Ci even took into consideration the future of his mentor's little daughter, whom he had always been concerned about.
We promise to hire top coaching resources for training, and in the future, they may even have the opportunity to compete in the Olympics as national athletes.
These comprehensive arrangements involving career, family and emotions are difficult to find in the United States.
Zhu Songchun looked out the window, seemingly calm, but his heart was actually turbulent.
The last words of Song Ci were still ringing in his ears, knocking on his heart again and again:
"Professor Zhu, China has the most complex application scenarios and the largest data ecosystem in the world. This is the ultimate testing ground for testing and promoting AGI (artificial general intelligence) from theory to reality.
It's time for you to come back. You can leave the deepest and most valuable footprints on this land that gave birth to us.
While North America certainly provides a starting point, there is ultimately an invisible ceiling to the resources accessible to Chinese scientists and the influence they can exert.”
A deep feeling of fatigue, mixed with an increasingly strong sense of belonging, quietly welled up in my heart.
He sighed softly, almost inaudibly, as if to release the feeling of wandering for many years, and muttered to himself:
"When people get older, they always return to their roots. Perhaps it's time to go back and take a look."
After parting with Zhu Songchun, Song Ci took a special plane north without stopping for a moment, heading for Seattle, the last stop of his North American trip.
The plane landed at Tacoma International Airport after a drizzle, and the air was filled with the unique moisture and freshness of the Pacific Northwest.
This place is not only the hometown of Boeing, but also the center of the Microsoft empire. The breath of technology seems to have been integrated into every inch of the air.
The destination of this trip is Bill Gates’ famous smart mansion, known as the “House of the Future”.
It is located on the east shore of Lake Washington, backed by mountains and facing the lake, echoing the Microsoft headquarters campus on the opposite bank.
When Song Ci's motorcade slowly drove into the manor gate and passed through a dense tree-lined avenue, the building complex, which did not win by its exaggerated appearance but by the integration of ultimate technology and ecological concepts, appeared before their eyes.
Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates were personally waiting at the gate of the main residence to welcome them, showing the highest sincerity and enthusiasm of the hosts.
"Song, welcome to Seattle, welcome to my home." Bill Gates smiled and walked forward to shake hands.
Dressed in a casual shirt and khaki pants, he looked relaxed, more like a neighborly engineer than a wealthy business tycoon.
Melinda also extended a warm greeting, with a gentle and wise demeanor.
Led by the host, Song Ci stepped into this legendary mansion.
The interior design is not a cold accumulation of technology, but rather seamless integration of intelligence into a comfortable living atmosphere and art collection.
The light, temperature, music and even the display of artworks all seem to have life, silently adjusting with people's movements and preferences.
In a futuristic lounge, a huge display screen takes up an entire wall.
Bill Gates operated the touchpad with great interest, and a colorful and ever-changing periodic table of elements instantly appeared on the wall.
Each element is accompanied by exquisite physical samples and detailed scientific information, as if an entire natural history museum is condensed here.
"This is one of the 'digital hearts' of the whole house." Bill Gates said in a cheerful tone, as if he was a child showing off his favorite toy to his friends.
Song Ci stopped in front with an expression of appreciation and thought on his face, his eyes moving with the changes of the elements.
"Isn't it interesting?" Bill Gates asked with a smile when he saw Song Ci engrossed in reading it.
Song Ci heard this and smiled, "What a great idea. When I got married, my wife also specially designed a similar element wall for me as a gift."
"Excellent!" Bill Gates' eyes flashed with surprise and admiration, and he praised sincerely, "Song, your wife must be a woman with great scientific literacy and artistic taste.
The ultimate goal of science and technology is to serve people and bring beauty and warmth to life."
After the tour, the three were led to a reception room with an excellent view.
Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows are the carefully manicured gardens and the distant lake and mountains. The interior is filled with books and artworks, creating a private and elegant atmosphere.
"Song, tea or coffee?" Bill Gates asked kindly, sitting down casually.
Song Ci calmly took his seat and replied with a chuckle, "There's an old Chinese saying: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. We should try some authentic coffee here."
Melinda smiled and a waiter quietly brought two cups of fragrant top-grade coffee, the exquisite bone china cups and saucers highlighting its extraordinary quality.
After a brief social exchange, Melinda temporarily left the meeting room to prepare dinner, leaving the space for the two men who were about to decide on a major collaboration.
The room suddenly became quiet, with only the occasional bird song outside the window and the aroma of coffee in the air.
Song Ci elegantly savored a few sips of pure American coffee, feeling the nutty, dark chocolate-like flavors blossom on her tongue. She set down her cup and saucer, and her gaze met Bill Gates's in mid-air.
(End of this chapter)
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