On March 6th, the signing and launching ceremony for the Joint Lab on Industrial AI between The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (hereinafter referred to as "HKUST(GZ)") and XIWI Tech was successfully held at the HKUST(GZ) Campus Activity Center. Focusing on "AI + Manufacturing," the event brought together guests from government, industry, academia, research, and application sectors to explore practical pathways for empowering the future with Industrial AI. As a benchmark collaboration in the "Industry + AI" field within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the establishment of this lab aims to break down barriers between academia and industry, driving cutting-edge intelligent technologies from the "laboratory" to the "production line."
Key representatives from both sides attended the ceremony, including Mr. Shi Chunfeng, First-Level Researcher (Municipal Administration) of the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology; Mr. Gao Hao, Section Chief of Information Development Division, Nansha District Bureau of Industry and Information Technology; Prof. Lionel M. Ni, Founding President of HKUST(GZ); Prof. Shi-Wei Ricky Lee, Vice-President (Research) and Acting Director of the Low-Altitude Economy Research Institute; Prof. Kai-Shun Wu, Associate Vice-President (Research) and Director of the Industrial Information and Intelligence Institute; Prof. Lei Chen, Dean of the Information Hub; Prof. Xiaowen Chu, Acting Head of the Artificial Intelligence Thrust Area, Information Hub; Prof. Fugee Tsung, Chair Professor and Co-Director of the Industrial Information and Intelligence Institute; Ms. Jane Jian, Founder & CEO of XIWI TECH; and Mr. Peng Shan, CTO of XIWI TECH. Representatives from over 30 universities and enterprises, including CEIBS, Yonghua Capital, Jinkong Fund, EVE Energy, Apower Semiconductor, CVTE, and Xiangxue Pharmaceutical, witnessed this milestone moment.
Responding to National Strategy, Breaking the "Last Mile" of Industrial Intelligence
Currently, the nation is vigorously promoting the "AI +" action. The 2026 Government Work Report explicitly stated the need to "create new forms of the intelligent economy, deepen and expand 'AI +', and promote the accelerated adoption of a new generation of intelligent terminals and agents." As the mainstay of the national economy, the intelligent transformation of the manufacturing sector is not only a "must-answer question" but also a core issue concerning high-quality development. As the "world's factory" and a frontier of innovation, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area urgently needs to close the loop of "technology-industry-ecosystem" through collaborative innovation among industry, academia, research, and application.
Against this backdrop, XIWI TECH has reached a significant cooperation with HKUST(GZ) to establish the Joint Lab on Industrial AI. Focusing on core areas such as industrial large models and next-generation industrial agents, the lab deeply integrates XIWI TECH's profound industry know-how in industrial quality management and supply chain collaboration with HKUST(GZ)'s cutting-edge research advantages in artificial intelligence, big data, and interdisciplinary fields. Adhering to the "industrial essence" of Industrial AI, it precisely targets critical industry pain points such as high R&D costs, difficult problem tracing, and large quality fluctuations. The lab steadfastly rejects AI "hallucinations," pursuing PPB-level (parts per billion) and even higher precision. It focuses on highly reliable, implementable, and scalable industrial intelligent applications, genuinely solving the "last mile" challenge hindering industrial intelligence development and empowering Chinese manufacturing to accelerate towards high-end, intelligent, and autonomous advancement with robust technological capabilities.
Using Industrial Know-how as a Bridge to Build a Self-Evolving "Industrial Brain"
At the launch ceremony for the Joint Lab on Industrial AI, representatives from both sides delivered speeches, explaining the lab's mission and value from different perspectives.
Prof. Lionel M. Ni, President of HKUST(GZ), stated that the joint lab should boldly venture into the technological "deep water zone," anchor itself to the real needs of the industrial frontline, and drive technology from the laboratory to the production line. He expressed hope that the lab would become a "talent crucible" (cultivating interdisciplinary talents who understand both AI and industry), a "translation hub" (bridging the "last mile" from technology to industry), and an "ecosystem node" (attracting more partners to jointly build the industrial intelligence ecosystem), solidifying the technological foundation for manufacturing transformation and upgrading.
Ms. Jane Jian, Founder & CEO of XIWI TECH, stated that "AI + Manufacturing" is a mandatory subject for the nation and also the original aspiration and mission of XIWI TECH. XIWI TECH has been deeply committed to domestic substitution, independently developing products such as a process-based full lifecycle quality management platform, the statistical analysis domestic substitution software tool Xiwitab, and the agent "Zhijing Dashi" (Simplicity Master). The lab will integrate XIWI TECH's industrial know-how with HKUST's world-class algorithms to tackle core pain points like quality improvement and process optimization, propelling manufacturing enterprises from "data visualization" to "intelligent decision-making and autonomous operation."
Prof. Shi-Wei Ricky Lee, Vice-President (Research) at HKUST(GZ), introduced the university's lab construction system and philosophy in his speech, emphasizing that the integration of industry and academia lies in "complementary advantages and synergistic progress." The joint lab will serve as a solid bridge connecting cutting-edge academic exploration with genuine industrial needs. He also pointed out that the university encourages and is open to enterprises, based on their different technological directions and development stages, to discuss and establish more diverse joint R&D platforms with relevant university teams, jointly injecting sustained momentum into the innovation and development of industrial intelligence and broader fields.
Signing and Launching: Officially Opening a New Chapter in Industrial Intelligence
Following the speeches, the signing and launching ceremony took place. HKUST(GZ) and XIWI TECH formally signed the cooperation agreement.
During the launch ceremony, representatives from both sides jointly pressed the start button, marking the official commencement of the lab. It will focus on tackling key technologies related to industrial large models and next-generation industrial agents, driving Industrial AI from technological breakthroughs to industrial implementation, and from serving a few experts to empowering all personnel.
Subsequently, President Ni and XIWI TECH investor Mr. Pan Yingjie presented appointment letters to the members of the Joint Lab Management Committee.
Addressing the Present, Exploring the Infinite Possibilities of Industrial AI
A roundtable forum, themed "Addressing the Present, Exploring the Infinite Possibilities of Industrial AI," was moderated by Prof. Fugee Tsung from HKUST(GZ). Panelists included Prof. Xiaowen Chu, Acting Head of the AI Thrust Area at HKUST(GZ); Mr. Tang Zheng, Managing Director of Yonghua Investment; Mr. Wang Haiqing, Innovation Director of EVE Energy Co., Ltd.; Mr. Li Haifeng, IT Head of Apower Semiconductor; and Mr. Peng Shan, Co-founder & CTO of XIWI TECH. They engaged in in-depth discussions on the pain points, trends, and industry-academia-research-application cooperation in Industrial AI.
With the successful conclusion of the event, the HKUST(GZ)-XIWI TECH Joint Lab on Industrial AI is officially underway. In the future, both parties will deeply explore cutting-edge fields such as industrial large models, agents, and quality management, jointly striving to create "usable, reliable, and desirable" domestic industrial intelligent products. This collaboration aims to accelerate the implementation of industrial intelligence and help Chinese manufacturing advance towards the forefront of the world on its path of lean and intelligent development.
