On July 21, Beijing time, former Managing Director of China Investment Corporation and adjunct professor at New York University, Ma Wenyan, shared his thoughts on US-China technological collaboration. He noted that while global tech competition continues to intensify, the innovative AI application by Lenovo Group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup presents a noteworthy glimmer of hope.
Ma Wenyan stated that the global trend towards decoupling persists, and the AI era has even exacerbated this trend. However, he consistently hopes that a narrow bridge for communication and cooperation can be maintained between the US and China. When discussing specific examples, Ma Wenyan highlighted Lenovo's AI application at this World Cup.
"I was very surprised when I first saw on TV that Lenovo's technology was being used for offside calls at the World Cup," Ma Wenyan pointed out. What impressed him was that this technology was not labeled with so-called national security concerns but was directly serving a globally watched sporting event, which he views as a very positive signal. Against the backdrop of current tech competition, such a case demonstrates that even as global tech cooperation faces challenges, there are still positive practices capable of connecting different countries and markets.
The example Ma Wenyan referred to is precisely the 3D digital human visualization solution developed by Lenovo Group for this World Cup. It is understood that Lenovo created millimeter-precision 3D digital human models for all 1,263 participating players in the tournament. When an offside call occurs during a match, the system can automatically generate a three-dimensional animation within seconds, simultaneously displaying it on the stadium's big screen and in global broadcast feeds. This allows fans not only to see the call's outcome but also to intuitively understand the reasoning behind it.
As FIFA's first official technology partner in its history, in addition to the 3D digital humans, Lenovo Group also developed innovative applications for this World Cup, including the Integrated Command Center (Cockpit), the FIFA AI Pro World Cup Football AI Super Agent, and the Referee's View AI Video Enhancement System. These technologies deeply participated in the event's operations, contributing to what is being called the "first AI World Cup" in human history.
During the event, Ma Wenyan emphasized his hope that future US-China dialogue on artificial intelligence can be genuinely realized, ensuring that beyond competition, a bridge for sustained communication and mutual development remains open between the two sides.