Construction of Chinese internet giant Tencent's artificial intelligence (AI) supercomputing center and industrial base began in Songjiang District, Shanghai on Saturday.

With an investment of over 45 billion yuan (about 6.4 billion U.S. dollars), the center will become the largest in the Yangtze River Delta region, and a top three AI supercomputing hub nationwide once completed.

It is expected to be put into use by the end of 2021, when it will undertake various tasks including large-scale AI algorithm computing, machine learning, image processing, scientific computing and engineering computing.

The company will also introduce its Keen Security Lab and Youtu Lab, an open AI platform, as well as other strategic partners in high-tech industries to actively participate in the development of industries including AI, big data and clouding computing, serving the Yangtze River Delta region.

"The construction of the supercomputing center is another important project for the integrated regional development of the Yangtze River Delta and a landmark project for Shanghai's new infrastructure," said Wu Jincheng, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, who pointed out that data is the new factor of production, and big data center is the base of infrastructure.

Shanghai has released two action plans to promote new infrastructure construction and online new economic development over the next three years, intending to facilitate a number of major projects in the fields of big data center, AI, the industrial internet and 5G, and accelerate the development of 12 key areas including unmanned factories, the industrial internet and online education.