Alipay and Alibaba backed A-Idol Initiative launches in China

Alipay Foundation, Alibaba AI Labs and the China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) have announced the A-Idol Initiative.

The aim here is to bring artificial intelligence-related jobs to underdeveloped areas in China, with a focus on prioritising opportunities for women. The first phase of the initiative will cover 10 counties across China, where people live below the poverty line, benefitting approximately 2,500 households. Participants will be entitled to free training courses on labelling and curating data.

“We believe technological innovation is only meaningful when it helps to make people’s lives better. The rapid development of AI, while displacing some existing jobs, has also brought about a great deal of new job opportunities. Making these opportunities accessible to women in underdeveloped regions is in line with our mission to bring the world more equal opportunities,” says Sam Zeng, Chairman of Alipay Foundation and Senior Vice President, Human Resources, of Ant Financial Services Group, the operator of Alipay.

Alibaba AI Labs says that it will commit orders worth at least 10 million RMB annually to ensure the sustainability of the project, which is also open to partners from both China and abroad. “The competence of data curators determines the accuracy of machine learning and the ensuing application of AI. We believe women can not only access more professional job opportunities from the A-Idol Initiative, but also master new and critical skills in the digital era,” says Lijuan Chen, Head of Alibaba AI Labs.