Nominal: Who isn't a son-in-law?

"Secretary Chu, to be honest, we started laying the groundwork in this field quite early on. Whether it's our own laboratories, or the partner companies and private laboratories we've invested in, we've been conducting research. As for the results, there have been some, and some of the results have already been applied to our products. However, compared to more cutting-edge research and development products, there is still a considerable gap."

"The reason is the restrictions imposed by various agreements and property rights, coupled with the lack of clear policy guidance. Many things are difficult to negotiate, and we dare not take big steps."

Chairman Ma sighed, then looked expectant.

"But now, if we can cooperate with projects in the province, I believe we can definitely get on the fast track as soon as possible. So, this valuable opportunity you have given us is exactly what we urgently need."

He wouldn't have said that to anyone else.

As businesspeople, profit comes first, and no one would be foolish enough to put a tight rein on themselves.

After all, one is focused on money and how to make more money in the short term.

The other party also cares about money, but they are looking at how to make money steadily in the long term.

Many things are a matter of choosing between length and shortness.

What to do when conflicts arise?

It's simple, this doesn't comply with the regulations, that doesn't comply with the rules.

After several such incidents, even good things were ruined.

But when facing Chu Shijun, he could assure him that these words were sincere.

It's true that the company is large and has many shareholders, and there are indeed many capable people among them. It's only through a complex web of connections and various aspects that it has grown to such a large size.

Among these threads woven into a net, there must always be one thick one that can withstand the weight.

Some events during this period caused the thickest part of this net to be cut off; it wasn't broken, but it was on the verge of collapse.

Therefore, although he has been contacted by many people these days, he remains hesitant and adopts a wait-and-see attitude.

Now, this opportunity has arrived, and it's a golden thread.

If we can't control this, all those years of sorghum rice will have been wasted.

"Secretary Chu, if we can jointly build and research artificial intelligence projects with the province to contribute to long-term development, we at Emperor Penguin will definitely give our full support."

Chairman Ma said, gritting his teeth, "In response to the policy call, our company has decided to invest 20 billion yuan as support, and will also conduct data exchanges with artificial intelligence projects in the province in relevant R&D fields that do not involve company secrets, to provide maximum support."

"Oh, 20 billion, can you make that decision?"

Chu Shijun was somewhat surprised. As far as he knew, the other company had quite a few shareholders, from all over the country, many of whom were very influential. Although they only distributed dividends, matters involving interests were no small matter.

"Can,"

Chairman Ma glanced at him cautiously, "I can guarantee that if it's about supporting the research and development of artificial intelligence projects, with policy support, and it will also benefit our own products, all the directors will definitely give it their full support."

"Oh, so you're trying to use my name to do things, huh?"

Chu Shijun shook his head and smiled; he understood immediately.

They use his name to appease officials and then seek policy support to advance their own business.

Once the cooperation is announced, the stock price will naturally rise, and once it rises, the money will be made back. No one will refuse.

"Secretary Chu, what do you think?"

Chairman Ma said expectantly.

After a moment of silence, Chu Shijun nodded. "Your good intentions and the 20 billion in funding are something I have no reason to refuse, but we need to clarify how the money will be used."

"Please speak."

Chairman Ma took out a small notebook and pen that he always carried with him.

Chu Shijun didn't answer immediately, but instead started by talking about the other company itself.

"You have been rooted in Zhencheng and deeply cultivated our Baijiang Province for so many years, and you have been able to grow into the top Internet leader in the province. This is because of the industrial policies, computing power and energy consumption support, and business environment guarantees provided by the province over the years. The local government has given you all the market, resources and policy dividends."

"The province is now focusing on developing new types of productivity through artificial intelligence, which is a core strategy deployed by the state and implemented as a whole across the province."

"In addition, our province provides counterpart support to neighboring, Agui, and Ashu regions. To consolidate the achievements in poverty alleviation is a political responsibility that we must shoulder."

"Businesses should not rush forward just because they see a profit, but shrink back and wait and see when it comes to investment and short-term returns. Focusing only on the profit and loss of one's own small business means having a narrow perspective."

"Some companies always prioritize profit and loss, only putting in effort when provincial policies are readily available. Where is the sense of responsibility of leading enterprises then?"

"In this respect, I see your company's attitude and sense of responsibility, which is very good."

Chu Shijun's face showed certainty.

"So you don't need to invest all 20 billion you mentioned. The key is collaborative research and development. Financial support is important, that's true, but sometimes when there's too much money, people don't know how to use it wisely. They mess around, even falsify accounts to deceive their superiors, which will cause a series of problems. This phenomenon is not an isolated case, and I think you understand that."

Chairman Ma: No, I don't understand, and I don't want to understand.

"So, Mr. Ma, since you can provide this funding, I think we should use it wisely. Artificial intelligence projects require long-term investment and are a major drain on funds. Unless there is a breakthrough in the short term, there is no need to rush things."

"Right now, as I just mentioned, poverty alleviation is the focus of the entire region. When a company grows big, it should not only consider business profits, but also political, livelihood, and long-term development benefits."

"The province supports leading local enterprises in the hope that you can stand at the forefront of the battle against technological bottlenecks, take the lead in breaking through technical bottlenecks, and take the initiative to shoulder the responsibility of regional cooperation and assistance, rather than waiting for the province to bail you out in everything and weighing the pros and cons everywhere. The benefits are given by the local government, but the enterprises must also take the initiative to shoulder the overall responsibility."

After listening, Chairman Ma put down his pen and said in a serious tone, "Secretary Chu, your criticism is correct. I was limited in my perspective and failed to consider the overall situation of the province and the region when addressing these two major issues. Your words have enlightened me."

"In this way, we will divide the 20 billion into two installments. The initial 10 billion will be used for 8 billion of the investment in artificial intelligence projects, and the remaining 2 billion will be set up as a special digital assistance fund in cooperation with the provincial party committee and government."

"Within our company's scope of expertise, we specialize in connecting with the province's counterpart assistance areas for smart agriculture and animal husbandry, rural e-commerce, and the construction of grassroots digital platforms. We fully cover all expenses related to local system customization, on-site training of technical personnel, and online operation of agricultural products."

"Of the subsequent 10 billion yuan, 20 to 3 billion yuan will be allocated as special funds to consolidate the results of poverty alleviation and strengthen the foundation of poverty alleviation efforts, so as to vigorously support the implementation of poverty alleviation policies in our province."

"In addition, all of our company's idle computing resources at our Zhencheng headquarters are provided free of charge to universities and small and medium-sized technology enterprises in the province for joint research and development. Every year, a group of senior algorithm and operation backbones are selected to be stationed in the area for long-term support and to carry out digital teaching and training on a regular basis."

"We will never engage in short-term superficial projects. We will make real investments in both technology and capital to help the province's artificial intelligence industry achieve breakthroughs. We will also use the digital industry to help stabilize the income of the people in the areas we are assisting and to safeguard the bottom line of preventing a return to poverty. We will shoulder the social responsibility that a leading local enterprise should have."