Research on the Collaborative Innovation Relationship of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Yangtze River Delta of China: A Complex Network Perspective

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI), as a rapidly developing interdisciplinary field, is a key driver of future economic development. The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) is one of the most significant economic regions of China, which also has a leading role in the AI industry. In this study, based on the patent cooperation data of YRD in the past decade, we focus on studying the collaborative innovation relationship in the AI field of the YRD from the perspective of complex networks. In order to investigate the interprovincial, intra-city and inter-city collaborative innovation relationships, we construct the Yangtze River Delta AI collaborative innovation (YRD-AICI) network. Subsequently, to analyze the development status and collaborative innovation relationship of innovation bodies in the AI field of YRD, we construct the Yangtze River Delta AI patent cooperation (YRD-AIPC) network. Next, the basic characteristics and spatio-temporal evolution of these two networks are explored, and the research results are presented that: (1) Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, and Zhejiang Province have obvious leading advantages in the AI field of the YRD, and the development gap between cities is significant; (2) the pioneering innovation bodies in the AI industry of the YRD are identified using centrality measures, and their cooperative innovation relationship is revealed; (3) based on link prediction methods, future partnerships between cities and innovation bodies are predicted to provide the future development trend of the YRD. The results provide theoretical support for exploring the cooperation mechanism of collaborative innovation in the AI field of YRD and inspire future development planning.