Reported by Engineering Center

Edited by Xianjing Wei

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the application of machines to imitate the cognitive functions of humans, to "learn" and to "solve" problems. Since the breakthrough of “Deep Learning” technology in 2010, the research fever of AI has risen sharply around the world, so does in China. As a well-structured optical organ, the eye examinations have variety of and large-scale of imaging data, making ophthalmology a dominant subject for AI applications. Facing with the great opportunities and big challenges of ophthalmic AI research, to better achieve multi-specialty and multi-disciplinary integration and collaboration, the Intelligent Medicine Special Committee of China Medicine Education Association decided and supported strongly that Zhongshan Ophthalmology Center (ZOC) led the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligent Ophthalmology Group and held the first National Ophthalmic Artificial Intelligence Conference.

From October 12^th to 14^th, with Professor Yizhi Liu and Professor Jin Yuan from the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center and Professor Yan Lou from China Medical University as co-chairs of the conference, the First National Ophthalmic Artificial Intelligence Conference was held by Guangdong Provincial Ophthalmic Engineering Center (ZOC, SYSU) and the Intelligent Medicine Special Committee of China Medical Education Association in Bo’ao International Conference Center, Hainan Province. Nearly 300 people from 121 member-units gathered in this event, including domestic and international experts in the fields of ophthalmology, image analysis and algorithm researchers, and representatives from the innovative AI companies including Baidu and Tencent. In the inaugural conference, the China Medical Education Association officially approved the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligent Ophthalmology Group under the Intelligent Medicine Special Committee. Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University was authorized as the head member and Professor Jin Yuan as the director of group.

At the inaugural conference, Professor Jin Yuan pointed out that the newly established Artificial Intelligence Ophthalmology Group’s work includes: 1. Promote the construction and development of the AI Ophthalmology; 2. Hold professional academic conferences to promote the intercross and integration of AI and ophthalmology; 3. Organize high-level clinical research on ophthalmic AI and formulating medical consensus or standards related to ophthalmic AI diagnosis; 4. Strengthen ophthalmic AI training and promote the cultivation of talents; and 5. Create a full industrial chain of ophthalmic AI including production, learning, research and utilization. Professor Yuan emphasized that the establishment of the group would provide a platform for multi-specialty and multi-disciplinary research teams to work together to tackle challenges of ophthalmic AI development, and contribute to realizing the national goal of converting from “manufacturing power” to “intelligent power” and the “artificial intelligence 2030”.

On the second day of the inaugural meeting, the first National Ophthalmic Artificial Intelligence Conference with the theme of “Innovation, Integration, Amalgamation and Development” was held. Four major sessions have been set up: “Development and Future of Ophthalmic AI”, “Big Data and Standards of Biomedicine”, “Image Analysis and AI Algorithms for Ophthalmology”, and “Clinical Application and Evaluation of Ophthalmic AI”. The conference has brought a panoramic exhibition of the researches on ophthalmic AI to the participants. Prof. Yuan thanked the experts for their excellent talks at the closing ceremony. He pointed out that the convening of the conference and the establishment of the Artificial Intelligent Ophthalmology Group would strongly promote the development of ophthalmic AI research in China. Prof. Yuan advocated to all the participants that “Forge ahead and create the wonderful future together” and look forward to meeting again in 2019 at the second National Ophthalmic AI Conference in Guangzhou.