Students, SMEs fuel surge in AI usage

The number of generative artificial intelligence users in China reached 602 million as of December, a nearly 142 percent increase from the end of 2024, according to a report released Thursday.

The report, released by the China Internet Network Information Center's policy and international cooperation division, said the use of generative AI is rapidly becoming embedded in daily life and production sectors, emerging as a key driver of China's digital and intelligent transformation.

By the end of last year, 457 million people used AI for answering questions, 288 million for generating images and videos, and 184 million as personal assistants, the report said.

Young people remain the primary users of generative AI, but adoption among middle-aged and older groups is rising, according to the report. Students account for more than 30 percent of AI users, followed by corporate managers, office workers and individual entrepreneurs.

"This trend shows that AI's rapid advancement has expanded its user base from specialized technicians to the general public, significantly broadening application scenarios for AI products and services, from everyday life to office tasks and beyond," the report said.

As AI becomes deeply integrated into work and daily life, it is also helping small and medium-sized enterprises address challenges related to research and development, high costs and inefficiencies.

Small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly engaging with AI applications, the report said, noting that 254,000 new AI software development SMEs were established in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

AI has also made significant inroads into sectors such as finance, healthcare, education and logistics, accelerating the expansion of service consumption scenarios, according to the report.

In light of the technology's rapid growth, China has intensified efforts to strengthen AI governance. Last year, 446 generative AI services were registered with the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country's top internet regulator.

A series of AI-related regulations, policies and guidelines were introduced by government agencies in the same period with the aim of enhancing public safety governance while promoting technological innovation, the report said.

"We need to seize the strategic opportunities presented by AI development while recognizing the importance of strengthening technology management and ethical standards to ensure its safe, trustworthy and sustainable growth," the report concluded.