iFlytek
{{Short description|Chinese technology company}}
{{Lowercase title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = iFlytek
| logo = File:IFlytek logo.png
| image = Beijing iFLYTEK Building at ZPark Phase I (20240807160653).jpg
| image_caption = iFlytek office in Beijing
| native_name = 科大讯飞
| native_name_lang = zh
| type = Public; State-owned enterprise
| traded_as = {{SZSE|002230}}
CSI A50
| industry = Information technology
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1999}}
| founder = Liu Qingfeng
| location_city = Hefei, Anhui
| location_country = China
| area_served = speech synthesis, speech recognition and natural language processing
| key_people =
| products =
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| assets =
| equity =
| owner = China Mobile
| num_employees =
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| homepage = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes =
}}
iFlytek ({{zh|c=科大讯飞|p=Kēdà Xùnfēi}}), styled as iFLYTEK, is a partially state-owned Chinese information technology company established in 1999.{{cite news |url=http://technode.com/2012/03/23/iflytek-announces-all-new-voice-cloud-and-siri-like-product/ |title=iFlytek Announces All New Voice Cloud and Siri-like Product |author=Ben Chiang |date=23 March 2012 |access-date=2012-08-24 |publisher=TechNode |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201072114/http://technode.com/2012/03/23/iflytek-announces-all-new-voice-cloud-and-siri-like-product/ |archive-date=1 December 2012 |url-status=live }} Note: byline reads "Ben Jiang", but author webpage URL lists last name as "Chiang". It creates voice recognition software and 10+ voice-based internet/mobile products covering education, communication, music, intelligent toys industries.{{Cite magazine|last=Hvistendahl|first=Mara|date=May 18, 2020|title=How a Chinese AI Giant Made Chatting—and Surveillance—Easy|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/story/iflytek-china-ai-giant-voice-chatting-surveillance/|url-status=live|access-date=May 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518191755/https://www.wired.com/story/iflytek-china-ai-giant-voice-chatting-surveillance/|archive-date=May 18, 2020}} State-owned enterprise China Mobile is the company's largest shareholder.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-xinjiang-mit-tech-insight/risky-partner-top-u-s-universities-took-funds-from-chinese-firm-tied-to-xinjiang-security-idUSKCN1TE04M|title=Risky partner: Top U.S. universities took funds from Chinese firm tied to Xinjiang security|last=Harney|first=Alexandra|date=June 13, 2019|access-date=November 9, 2019|work=Reuters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109062644/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-xinjiang-mit-tech-insight/risky-partner-top-u-s-universities-took-funds-from-chinese-firm-tied-to-xinjiang-security-idUSKCN1TE04M|archive-date=November 9, 2019|url-status=live}} The company is listed in the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and it is backed by several state-owned investment funds.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-08-23/china-mobile-to-acquire-15-percent-of-voice-recognition-company |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118143350/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-08-23/china-mobile-to-acquire-15-percent-of-voice-recognition-company |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-18 |title=China Mobile to Acquire 15% of Voice-Recognition Company |author=Mark Lee |date=2012-08-24 |access-date=2012-08-24 |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3018923/chinas-voice-recognition-champion-iflytek-gets-us407-million|title=China's voice recognition champion iFlytek gets US$407 million funding boost from state investors|last=Dai|first=Sarah|date=July 17, 2019|work=South China Morning Post|access-date=November 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109064156/https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3018923/chinas-voice-recognition-champion-iflytek-gets-us407-million|archive-date=November 9, 2019|url-status=live}}
The company was spun off from University of Science and Technology of China.{{Cite book |last=Hu |first=Richard |title=Reinventing the Chinese City |date=2023 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-21101-7 |location=New York |doi=10.7312/hu--21100}}{{Rp|page=128}} The city of Hefei is a major investor in iFlytek.{{Citation |last1=Luong |first1=Ngor |title=State plans, research, and funding |date=2022-06-22 |work=Chinese Power and Artificial Intelligence |pages=3–18 |edition=1 |place=London |publisher=Routledge |language=en |doi=10.4324/9781003212980-2 |isbn=978-1-003-21298-0 |quote=Similarly, iFlyTek received $2.9 million (18.5 million RMB) investment from Hefei Venture Capital Guidance Fund. This state-sponsored funding accounts for nearly 8 percent of the company's equity shares. |last2=Fedasiuk |first2=Ryan}}{{Rp|page=128}} The company has faced accusations from human rights groups and the United States government of involvement in mass surveillance.{{Cite news |last=Inskeep |first=Steve |author-link=Steve Inskeep |date=May 30, 2024 |title=AI companies in China aim for innovation despite U.S. restrictions on access to parts |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/05/30/nx-s1-4943382/ai-companies-in-china-aim-for-innovation-despite-u-s-restrictions-on-access-to-parts |access-date=May 30, 2024 |work=NPR |archive-date=May 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530125201/https://www.npr.org/2024/05/30/nx-s1-4943382/ai-companies-in-china-aim-for-innovation-despite-u-s-restrictions-on-access-to-parts |url-status=live }}
History
File:Liu Qingfeng-20240309.png
Liu Qingfeng, who was then a Ph.D. student in the University of Science and Technology of China, started a voice computing company, iFlytek in 1999. Liu and his colleagues were operating the company at the USTC campus until they decided to moved it in Heifei. He also presented his business concept to then head of Microsoft Research Asia, Kai-Fu Lee, who warned Liu of competing to American advancements in speech recognition.{{Cite magazine |last=Hvistendahl |first=Mara |date=May 18, 2020 |title=How a Chinese AI Giant Made Chatting—and Surveillance—Easy |url=https://www.wired.com/story/iflytek-china-ai-giant-voice-chatting-surveillance/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518191755/https://www.wired.com/story/iflytek-china-ai-giant-voice-chatting-surveillance/ |archive-date=2020-05-18 |access-date=2024-03-13 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}
iFlytek would later work under the telecommunications company Huawei. In 2008, the company went public. In 2010, they launch their major consumer product, the iFlytek Input.
In 2017, Human Rights Watch reported the Chinese government had collected tens of thousands of voice samples, for use with iFlytek technology that identifies individuals by voice on phone calls or in public places.{{Cite web |date=2017-10-22 |title=China: Voice Biometric Collection Threatens Privacy |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/22/china-voice-biometric-collection-threatens-privacy |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en |archive-date=2021-07-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720111332/https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/22/china-voice-biometric-collection-threatens-privacy |url-status=live }}
In 2018, iFlytek signed a five-year collaboration agreement with the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.{{Cite news |last=Conner-Simons |first=Adam |date=June 15, 2018 |title=CSAIL launches new five-year collaboration with iFlyTek |url=https://news.mit.edu/2018/csail-launches-five-year-collaboration-with-iflytek-0615 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928083305/http://news.mit.edu/2018/csail-launches-five-year-collaboration-with-iflytek-0615 |archive-date=September 28, 2019 |access-date=November 9, 2019 |work=MIT News}} In 2020, the agreement was terminated due to concerns about human rights abuses of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.{{Cite magazine |last=Knight |first=Will |date=2020-04-21 |title=MIT Cuts Ties With a Chinese AI Firm Amid Human Rights Concerns |url=https://www.wired.com/story/mit-cuts-ties-chinese-ai-firm-human-rights/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421191904/https://www.wired.com/story/mit-cuts-ties-chinese-ai-firm-human-rights/ |archive-date=2020-04-21 |access-date=2020-04-22 |magazine=Wired |language=en |issn=1059-1028}}
China's government designated iFlytek as one of its "AI champions" in 2018.{{Cite book |last=Zhang |first=Angela Huyue |title=High Wire: How China Regulates Big Tech and Governs Its Economy |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2024 |isbn=9780197682258 |doi=10.1093/oso/9780197682258.001.0001}}{{Rp|page=281}}
In 2019, the company won the Applicative Award for its iFlytek translation system with the Super AI Leader award at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai.{{Cite web |title=Top AI awards presented at World AI Conference |url=http://english.scio.gov.cn/chinavoices/2019-08/30/content_75154165.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401222055/http://english.scio.gov.cn/chinavoices/2019-08/30/content_75154165.htm |archive-date=2023-04-01 |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=State Council Information Office |language=en}}
In October 2023, the stock value of iFlytek fell after its AI-powered devices were reported to have criticized Mao Zedong.{{Cite news |last=Ye |first=Josh |date=October 24, 2023 |title=Shares in China's iFlyTek tumble after reports AI-powered device criticised Mao |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/shares-chinas-iflytek-tumble-after-reports-ai-powered-device-criticised-mao-2023-10-24/ |access-date=January 9, 2024 |work=Reuters |archive-date=December 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201175418/https://www.reuters.com/technology/shares-chinas-iflytek-tumble-after-reports-ai-powered-device-criticised-mao-2023-10-24/ |url-status=live }}
In 2024, iFlytek introduced the AI platform SparkGen, an automated video creation tool.{{Cite web|language=en|url=https://martechvibe.com/article/iflytek-unveils-ai-spark-gen-platform/|title=iFLYTEK Unveils AI SparkGen platform at MWC 2024|website=Martechvibe|date=March 2024 |access-date=2024-03-13|archive-date=2024-03-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313202616/https://martechvibe.com/article/iflytek-unveils-ai-spark-gen-platform/}} That same year in June 2024 during the unveiling of its Xinghuo 4 large language model (LLM), founder Liu Qingfeng admits that due to U.S. restrictions such as those of U.S. components used in computing platforms, the company will pursue to train its LLMs on "self-developed, controllable" infrastructure. The company stated that their LLMs were trained completely using Huawei's computing platform.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-27 |title=Chinese AI firm iFlyTek says its LLMs are trained completely on Huawei platform |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3268305/chinese-ai-firm-iflytek-says-its-llms-are-trained-completely-huawei-platform |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}
Products and services
=Voice speech and recognition systems=
One of the company's major product was the iFlytek Input released in 2010. It was one of the early counterparts of Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana, and Google Assistant in China. Later versions of Input allowed translations for face-to-face conversations and closed-captioning for phone calls in 23 Chinese dialects.
In terms of research and development in speech recognition, iFlytek showcased during a 2017 visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing, that their technology can identify and record an individual's voice in a crowded environment.{{Cite news |last1=Mozur |first1=Paul |last2=Bradsher |first2=Keith |author-link2=Keith Bradsher |date=2017-12-03 |title=China's A.I. Advances Help Its Tech Industry, and State Security |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/03/business/china-artificial-intelligence.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308084402/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/03/business/china-artificial-intelligence.html |archive-date=2024-03-08 |access-date=2024-03-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
=iFlytek Spark=
iFlytek Spark ({{zh|c=讯飞星火}}), also known as iFLYTEK Spark Desk,{{Cite web |title=iFLYTEK Highlights Progress Towards a New AI Ecosystem at the 1024 Global Developer Festival-News-iFLYTEK |url=https://www.iflytek.com/en/news-events/news/43.html |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=www.iflytek.com |archive-date=2024-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313063447/https://www.iflytek.com/en/news-events/news/43.html |url-status=live }} is a large language model developed by iFlytek. iFlytek Spark was first unveiled in May 2023 and was released in September 2023 after Chinese government's approval.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-24 |title=iFlytek says its LLM outperforms ChatGPT model in Chinese |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3239031/iflytek-says-its-large-language-model-outperforms-chatgpt-chinese-ai-firm-vows-counter-us-chip-curbs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311233752/https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3239031/iflytek-says-its-large-language-model-outperforms-chatgpt-chinese-ai-firm-vows-counter-us-chip-curbs |archive-date=2024-03-11 |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Ye |first=Josh |date=September 5, 2023 |title=China's 360 and iFlytek release AI models to public |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinas-360-open-ai-model-public-state-media-2023-09-05/ |access-date=March 12, 2024 |website=Reuters |archive-date=September 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928093019/https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinas-360-open-ai-model-public-state-media-2023-09-05/ |url-status=live }}
== History ==
On May 6, 2023, iFlytek CEO Liu Qingfeng unveiled their AI model SparkDesk. The large language model was developed based on Huawei's AI chip, Ascend.{{Cite web |last=Feed |first=TechNode |date=2023-05-08 |title=iFlytek unveils large language model, claims it outperforms ChatGPT · TechNode |url=http://technode.com/2023/05/08/iflytek-unveils-large-language-model-claims-it-outperforms-chatgpt/ |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=TechNode |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314021241/https://technode.com/2023/05/08/iflytek-unveils-large-language-model-claims-it-outperforms-chatgpt/ |url-status=live }} It was then updated to SparkDesk 2.0 in August 2023 and SparkDesk 3.0 in October 2023.{{Cite web |last=Feed |first=TechNode |date=2023-08-16 |title=iFlytek unveils updated LLM SparkDesk V2.0 and new product iFlyCode 1.0 · TechNode |url=http://technode.com/2023/08/16/iflytek-unveils-updated-llm-sparkdesk-v2-0-and-new-product-iflycode-1-0/ |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=TechNode |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314021056/https://technode.com/2023/08/16/iflytek-unveils-updated-llm-sparkdesk-v2-0-and-new-product-iflycode-1-0/ |url-status=live }}
AI devices powered by Spark AI received backlash in October 2023 after photos were shared in Baidu's Baijiahao of the generative AI criticizing Chairman Mao Zedong. As a result, the company's shares plunged by 10 percent.
In January 2024, iFlytek upgraded their model to iFlytek SparkDesk 3.5.{{Cite web |last=Feed |first=TechNode |date=2024-01-31 |title=iFlytek claims the latest version of its AI model is as powerful as GPT-4 Turbo on certain metrics · TechNode |url=http://technode.com/2024/01/31/iflytek-claims-the-latest-version-of-its-ai-model-is-as-powerful-as-gpt-4-turbo-on-certain-metrics/ |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=TechNode |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313021001/https://technode.com/2024/01/31/iflytek-claims-the-latest-version-of-its-ai-model-is-as-powerful-as-gpt-4-turbo-on-certain-metrics/ |url-status=live }} On 15 August 2024, iFlyTek introduced Spark 4.0, which the company benchmarked against OpenAI's GPT-4 Turbo.{{Cite web |last=Dong |first=Cheyenne |date=2024-06-28 |title=iFlytek Chairman touts latest AI Spark 4.0 model as comparable to GPT-4 Turbo, emphasizes total self-sufficiency · TechNode |url=https://technode.com/2024/06/28/iflytek-chairman-touts-latest-ai-spark-4-0-model-as-comparable-to-gpt-4-turbo-emphasizes-total-self-sufficiency/ |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=TechNode |language=en-US}}
Partnerships
iFlytek has partnerships with Japanese company Odelic, Malaysian company Simon, and U.S. company A.O. Smith. iFlytek also managed to build servers in Singapore, Dubai, and Frankfurt, Germany.{{Cite web |title=China AI champion iFlytek looks abroad despite U.S. crackdown |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/China-tech/China-AI-champion-iFlytek-looks-abroad-despite-U.S.-crackdown |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326153600/https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/China-tech/China-AI-champion-iFlytek-looks-abroad-despite-U.S.-crackdown |archive-date=2024-03-26 |access-date=2024-03-27 |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en-GB}}
Reception
= Chinese regulations =
In 2021, iFlytek, along with Chinese gaming company Tencent Holdings, received a notice for violation from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (MIIT) for not rectifiying privacy concerns.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-15 |title=Beijing calls out iFlyTek, Tencent and over 100 others on data privacy |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3125489/data-privacy-beijing-puts-iflytek-tencent-and-over-100-other-app-makers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328071035/https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3125489/data-privacy-beijing-puts-iflytek-tencent-and-over-100-other-app-makers |archive-date=2024-03-28 |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}
= U.S. sanctions =
{{See also|Persecution of Uyghurs in China|Xinjiang internment camps}}
In October 2019, iFlytek was sanctioned by the United States for allegedly using its technology for mass surveillance and human rights abuses in Xinjiang.{{Cite news|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-war/US-sanctions-8-China-tech-companies-over-role-in-Xinjiang-abuses|title=US sanctions 8 China tech companies over role in Xinjiang abuses|date=October 8, 2019|work=The Nikkei|access-date=November 9, 2019|agency=Reuters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109032331/https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-war/US-sanctions-8-China-tech-companies-over-role-in-Xinjiang-abuses|archive-date=November 9, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |last1=Strumpf |first1=Dan |last2=Kubota |first2=Yoko |date=October 8, 2019 |title=Expanded U.S. Trade Blacklist Hits Beijing's Artificial-Intelligence Ambitions |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/expanded-u-s-trade-blacklist-hits-beijings-artificial-intelligence-ambitions-11570541277 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108234117/https://www.wsj.com/articles/expanded-u-s-trade-blacklist-hits-beijings-artificial-intelligence-ambitions-11570541277 |archive-date=November 8, 2019 |access-date=November 9, 2019 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{SZSE 100 Index}}
Category:Companies listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
Category:Information technology companies of China
Category:Companies based in Hefei
Category:Software companies established in 1999
Category:Government-owned companies of China
Category:Chinese companies established in 1999
Category:Companies in the CSI 100 Index