China Telecom unveils major AI strategy

China Telecom Chairman Ke Ruiwen positioned artificial intelligence as the "new engine for economic growth", detailing the company's transformative AI initiatives while cautioning enterprises about profound operational shifts ahead at the ongoing 2025 World AI Conference in Shanghai on Sunday.

Ke outlined China Telecom's extensive achievements across foundational technological domains including network infrastructure, national cloud development, large-scale model research and development, quantum innovation, and cybersecurity. These advancements have established the telecommunications leader as a pivotal force in driving digital-intelligent transformation across industries nationwide.

The company has successfully implemented over 160 AI applications spanning 21 critical functional domains such as cloud-network operations, customer service, marketing, scientific research, and corporate governance. These solutions have generated significant cost efficiencies while elevating service quality and operational performance, Ke said.

Meanwhile, China Telecom has developed more than 80 industry-specific large models alongside over 20 intelligent agent applications tailored for sectors including manufacturing, emergency management, and education. These innovations currently serve a diverse client base exceeding 20,000 enterprises, Ke added.

He said China Telecom has forged collaborations with over 30 central State-owned enterprises–including China Logistics Group, CRRC Corp, and Sinopec Group–under the guidance of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. This cooperative effort has established benchmark "AI+" implementations and culminated in China Telecom inaugurating the first dedicated "AI+" Action Demonstration Base for central SOEs.

The deep convergence of AI with the real economy has become unmistakable, and AI now truly functions as a new engine propelling economic expansion, Ke said.

Declaring 2025 as the inaugural year of AI's scaled implementation, Ke said China Telecom is fully embracing this technological inflection point to empower industrial advancement and fuel sustainable economic growth through responsible AI innovation.