At present, the world is undergoing a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation. President Xi once noted that this revolution is characterized by “the convergence of key technologies and collective breakthroughs.” Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a driving force of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and its development has now transitioned from the era of small models to large models. Embodied intelligence, seen as the next wave of AI, deeply integrates AI with robotics and other interdisciplinary technologies, accelerating the arrival of the intelligent economy era. The year 2024 is widely regarded by the industry as the inaugural year of embodied intelligence.

From May 25 to 26, the 2024 Songshan Lake Science Conference, jointly hosted by the Dongguan Municipal Government and the Guangdong Academician Association, was held in Dongguan. The conference focused on “Large Models and Embodied Intelligence,” featuring academic seminars on topics such as multimodal large models, embodied intelligence in robotics, embodied medical robots, embodied multi-agents, technological implementation of embodied intelligence, and its security and governance. More than 40 academicians and experts gathered to discuss cross-regional and interdisciplinary collaboration, addressing cutting-edge fundamental research and national as well as Greater Bay Area strategic needs. The discussions focused on the current state, challenges, and future directions of embodied intelligence in the large model era, leading to the publication of the “2024 Songshan Lake Science Conference Consensus” to promote the innovation and development of general artificial intelligence.

The conference was chaired by Zhang Bo, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and co-chaired by Jianwei Zhang, Foreign Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Other attending experts included Li Guojie and Wang Shuxin from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Xiaoqi Chen from the Royal Academy of Engineering New Zealand, Guo Yike and Dai Jiansheng from the Royal Academy of Engineering UK, and Masugane Shu and Guo Shuxiang, Foreign Academicians of the Engineering Academy of Japan. Dongguan Party Secretary Xiao Yafei also delivered a speech. Other attendees included Cheng Hongbo, Secretary of the Party Group and Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Association for Science and Technology, Dongguan Deputy Mayors Li Jun and Chen Qingsong, and Lu Yuhui, Secretary General of the Guangdong Academician Association (GBA Academician and Expert Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance).

JT-Innovation as a platform-based enterprise for intelligent unmanned systems, has rich experience in the industrialization of embodied intelligence—especially in deploying intelligent robots across dynamic, complex, all-weather outdoor scenarios. Dr. Mao Shixin, CEO of JT-Innovation, was honored to be invited by conference co-chair Academician Jianwei Zhang to participate in the event’s only enterprise-focused roundtable discussion. Dr. Mao remarked: the development cycle of embodied hardware takes time and won’t progress as rapidly as the internet did; it requires collective effort, confidence, and patience. From an enterprise perspective, innovations without real-world implementation are just “technical self-indulgence.” He expressed hope for more opportunities like this to “connect with top minds” and work together toward real-world deployment—so that the transformative power of embodied intelligence can be shared across the economy and society.

JT-Innovation was honored to participate in the Songshan Lake Science Conference and to engage in cutting-edge scientific discussions alongside esteemed scientists. We hope to promote interdisciplinary integration and contribute, even modestly, to the convergence of science and industry.