China to unveil plans to integrate AI with manufacturing

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's top industry regulator, said it is drafting plans to deepen the implementation of its "AI plus manufacturing" initiative, as the world's largest manufacturing powerhouse aims to fully leverage artificial intelligence to upgrade its sprawling industrial economy.

The plan was unveiled in a signed article by MIIT Minister Li Lecheng in the Dangjian magazine published on Monday, which outlined China's strategic direction for technological development and industrial transformation.

Li said China will establish a comprehensive policy framework to support the application of AI, including the forthcoming issuance of implementation guidelines for the "AI + Manufacturing" plan. These policies will specifically address the intelligent transformation requirements for key industries, critical production processes, and strategic sectors, supplemented by an AI application guide tailored for manufacturing enterprises.

The minister highlighted China's current strong position in the global AI landscape, noting that the country's AI industry has demonstrated vigorous developmental momentum.

According to data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, China's core AI industry scale is projected to have exceeded 900 billion yuan ($126 billion) in 2024. Supported by more than 5,000 AI enterprises and over 400 national-level AI "little giant" companies, specialized and innovative small and medium enterprises were recognized for their technological sophistication.

Looking forward, Li proposed a six-point strategic approach to advance AI-powered industrialization. This comprehensive framework encompasses accelerating breakthroughs in core technologies, deepening the integration of AI in manufacturing, cultivating competitive AI enterprises, optimizing the industrial development environment, strengthening security governance safeguards, and expanding international cooperation channels.

The integration of AI large language models with advanced manufacturing equipment, including smart connected new-energy vehicles and machine tools, represents another key focus area. Additionally, the ministry will accelerate the development of AI agents across their entire life cycle — from design and development to testing and deployment — while exploring the potential of multi-agent collaborative ecosystems.