China to play crucial role in artificial intelligence, says Sundar Pichai

In 2010, Google refused to censor search results with China's internet censors later blocking access

Sundar Pichai, chief executive officer of Google, expects China to play a crucial role in artificial intelligence as he keeps expanding the search giant’s workforce in the country, even as many of its services are blocked.

“China is already playing a big part in how AI will shape our futures,” Pichai said at the annual China Development Forum in Beijing. 

“When we build together we get to better ideas faster,” he said.

Google has invested in Chinese startups, forged a patent alliance with Tencent Holdings Ltd. and is pushing its TensorFlow AI tools in the country despite key services such as search and