SenseTime Founder Tang Xiao’ou Passes Away Amidst Controversy

Tang Xiao’ou, the billionaire founder of China’s AI giant SenseTime, tragically passed away on Friday due to undisclosed health issues. SenseTime, a partly state-owned company, announced his death in a statement, expressing their sorrow and honoring Tang’s contributions to the field of artificial intelligence. The company did not disclose the specific nature of Tang’s health issues or whether they were previously known.

SenseTime, founded in 2014, was once the world’s most valuable AI startup and received funding from the Chinese government. It specializes in developing AI technologies such as facial recognition, object detection, and video and image analysis. However, the company recently faced allegations of revenue manipulation. A US-based short-seller accused SenseTime of inflating its revenue through questionable practices. The accusations impacted the company’s stock, with losses exceeding 40% this year and 80% since its IPO.

Tang’s death marks a significant loss for SenseTime and the AI community. Tang was a renowned AI scientist, director of Pujiang Lab and Shanghai AI Lab, and a professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His passing leaves a void in the industry and underlines the challenges faced by companies operating in the fiercely competitive AI market.

At the time of his death, Tang’s net worth was valued at $1.1 billion, primarily derived from his shares in SenseTime.

Source: The billionaire founder behind China’s AI giant SenseTime has died of an unknown illness at 55