International exchange students at SUSTech visited SenseTime, an AI unicorn company located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen on October 28.

Founded in 2014, SenseTime is one of the leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) software companies worldwide. As a business algorithm provider in the field of computer vision and deep learning, SenseTime’s business covers Smart Business, Smart City, Smart Life and Smart Auto, providing services for various enterprises and organizations including vivo, Honda, Beijing Daxing Airport, Haier, Vanke, Shanghai First Municipal Hospital, Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art, etc.

Exhibition Visit

In the exhibition hall, exchange students watched a variety of scenarios how SenseTime “AI empowers all industries”. For instance, traffic flow and road condition is monitored in congested areas in big cities and waiting time for traffic light is adjusted real-time accordingly by AI algorithm. This project has been implemented in some areas in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and other cities, saving 40% of the waiting time for pedestrians and vehicles.

An AI-generated assistant talking with visitors.

In terms of auto-driving, SenseTime AI can not only estimate the speed and trajectory of the vehicles and pedestrians ahead, but can also monitor the driver’s real-time driving status, and alert the driver instantly when dangerous driving behaviors like playing with cell phones or dozing off is detected. 

SenseTime also provide several domestic head smartphone brands with facial recognition algorithm, which can simulate special effect based on real-time facial expressions and movements in addition to conventional beauty enhancement. Exchange students experienced these features with great interest.

Guest Sharing

In the sharing session, two guest speakers, LIU Yu, Research Director of SenseTime and HU Kun, Head of General Model Group, SenseTime Research Institute introduced the history and advantages of SenseTime. According to LIU, SenseTime put much efforts in academic research in addition to its business projects, winning 600+ top academic competitions, publishing 5,000+ top conference papers, holding 7,800+ AI-related technology patents. Students also asked questions and exchanged views with the two speakers on topics of interest.

With augmented reality (AR) technology, smartphone users can scan the pattern on a bottle of water and watch the real-time video.

“Empty Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival”: All characters are hidden by AI technology in the traditional Chinese painting “Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival”, and can be made reappear on the screen through smartphone scanning the painting.

Student Reflections

Ziyue WANG, Postgraduate Yr 1, Brandeis University

AI technology has been thoroughly used in facial recognition and smart city, and its scale and the speed really shocks me! In the future, with the further upgrading of AI technology, urban governance and people’s lifestyles will also be significantly changed.

Xinglin LI, Undergraduate Yr 2, State University of New York at Stony Brook

SenseTime is slightly different from other Internet companies in terms of values. It advocates “lamb spirits”, encouraging flexible working time for its employees, and this is very valuable in an era when “wolf spirits” is prevalent.

Xiaoyi LIU, Postgraduate Yr 1, Brandeis University

I can feel that SenseTime values innovation and products, and serves to provide more convenient service facilities and more efficient emergency-response devices. Training AI can not only help to sense, but also to make decisions, which will greatly save manpower. 

Weiming HAO, Undergraduate Yr 2, Rutgers University

I deeply realize the importance of AI technology and its future potentiality after the introduction of SenseTime staff. In the meantime, I can also feel that SenseTime is a young tech company with dynamic, creativity and cohesion. I realize the SenseTime’s powerful research achievement and its capacity of innovation. I also feel the important role of science and technology in prospering the nation.

SUSTech Global has conducted four consecutive "Walk Shenzhen" visits, allowing international exchange students to visit many star enterprises and organizations in Shenzhen, such as BYD, Qianhai Free Trade Zone, Ping An Technology, seeed studio, Chaihuo Makers, and BGI, in order that exchange students could know more about the development and progress of Shenzhen enterprises.