A column of CAST has reviewed the 40-year history of CAAI recently. Forty years of hard working, CAAI has become the "most influential " academy in China, stepping into a world-class association. It has grown from a seedling to a tree with flourishing leaves. 

CAAI was founded in 1981

Chinese scientists started the research on AI in as early as 1970s-1980s when China was at the initial stage of reform and opening-up.

Researchers in the field of AI had a meeting on Feb 10, 1981 in Beijing, calling on establishing an association for AI in China. A working team elected for all preparation and composed of 16 people including Yuanxun QIN and Xianghao WANG was set up at the meeting, and the team drafted a report of founding CAAI. Then it was sent to Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The founding ceremony of CAAI and the 2nd Academic Seminars was held in Changsha on September 20-22, 1981 with more than 300 participants. The first session of council was elected with Yuanxun QIN being the President, and Jiyan FAN, Xinsong JIANG, Jiazhi LI, Qiming LOU, Chuanlu QU, Xuyan TU, Jiaruo WAN, Xianghao WANG and Xianchang ZENG being the first Vice Presidents.

Guangyuan YU, former vice director of the State Science and Technology Commission and vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, attended the meeting and delivered a speech at the ceremony, extending his best wished to CAAI, and invited CAAI to be affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

CAAI was registered as an association at the Ministry of Civil Affairs on July 5, 1991. CAAI changed its business executive unit to China Association for Science and Technology on June 4, 2006. On February 18, 2009, approved by the 9th meeting of the 7th Standing Committee of the China Association for Science and Technology, CAAI was accepted as a member association of CAST.

All Previous CAAI Councils

Members of CAAI Council were elected from leading scientists and entrepreneurs in the field of AI, including 29 members of CAE and CAS. Since the establishment of the CAAI, the eight successive councils have  never forgotten its initial heart and forged ahead. Former Presidents were Yuanxun QIN, Xuyan TU, Yixing ZHONG, and Deyi LI, and Qionghai DAI is the current President. 

49 branches were established successively

Over the past 40 years, CAAI has contributed to the rapid development and continuous expansion of AI science and technology in China. CAAI has become an important contributor of AI development in China. So far, CAAI has 49 branches, including 41 professional committees and 8 working committees, covering the field of AI science and technology.

As time flies by, CAAI is approaching its 40th anniversary. The past years have seen the transformation of CAAI, from nobody to the "most influential " academy in China, stepping into a world-class association with branches. It has grown from a seedling to a tree with flourishing leaves.

We are glad to see that we are playing an increasingly important role in economic development, intelligent transformation and social progress with the scale and influence of CAAI continuously expanding.

Source: CAST