Innovative Hainan: Advancing AI for sustainability and innovation

On February 18, a newly upgraded data module was placed on the seafloor and integrated with pre-existing computing equipment, forming an underwater AI cluster. The cluster was successfully activated in Lingshui, south China's Hainan Province, marking the launch of an underwater intelligent computing center.

The newly deployed module, measuring 18 meters in length and 3.6 meters in diameter, houses servers capable of completing in one second calculations that would take an ordinary computer an entire year.

The intelligent computing center utilizes seawater as a natural cooling source, significantly conserving land, freshwater and electricity. The operator of the cluster has signed contracts with about 10 companies. The facility will be used for large-scale AI model training and reasoning, industrial simulations, game development and marine scientific research.

Hainan, home to the annual Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), has been actively promoting AI development. Local institutions are exploring collaborations with domestic AI innovators, including experimental applications of large language models in specialized fields such as marine research and tropical medicine. This year's forum will highlight "Strengthening AI Application and Governance for Innovation-Driven Development" as one of its major topics.

Recent breakthroughs demonstrate Hainan's accelerating AI deployment. In June 2023, the provincial power grid launched China's first island-wide AI energy management system, achieving a 15 percent peak load reduction through machine learning-optimized power distribution. At the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, an AI-powered rocket trajectory prediction system has improved launch window accuracy by 40 percent, significantly enhancing space mission efficiency. Additionally, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Zone now utilizes AI diagnostic platforms that have processed over 12,000 medical imaging analyses since 2023, achieving a 94 percent concordance rate with expert radiologists.

Hainan's AI advancements reflect a strategic integration of ecological sustainability, technological ambition and public welfare. By leveraging its tropical marine environment for green computing and aligning AI applications with national priorities such as aerospace and healthcare, the province is carving a unique path in China's tech landscape.

As global attention turns to the upcoming BFA, which is scheduled to be held in Boao from March 25 to 28, Hainan stands poised to showcase how island economies can harness AI not just for industrial growth but also as a force multiplier for scientific discovery and cross-border collaboration.