$Alibaba(BABA)$ Alibaba’s research academy identifies AI applications in science, new photonic chips as top tech trends for 2022. Of the top 10 fields named by Alibaba, four are closely related to AI, in which China is already a ‘full-spectrum peer competitor’ to the US, according to recent study. Photonic chips, which use photons instead of electrons to transmit data, are likely to be in widespread use by large data centres within three years. The advancements in digitalisation and intelligence are redefining a new digital world featuring mixed reality, technological inclusiveness and low-carbon footprint.