- China aims to build a “safe and reliable” supply of foundational AI by 2027, amid increasingly fierce global technological competition.
- The action plan, issued by eight government agencies led by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, focuses on promoting AI applications in manufacturing.
- China will deeply deploy 3 to 5 large-scale, versatile AI models specifically for the industrial manufacturing sector.
- By 2027, the scale of the AI industry and its “empowerment” capacity for the economy are expected to place China among the world leaders.
- The plan sets a goal to build specialized AI models with broad coverage and unique characteristics.
- The government expects to create 100 high-quality datasets for various industrial sectors.
- Approximately 500 typical AI application scenarios will be promoted for implementation.
- China seeks to build an international-standard open-source AI ecosystem, in parallel with strengthening security governance.
- Beijing also aims to support the “orderly” expansion of AI activities abroad and enhance global cooperation.
- The drive for AI self-reliance has intensified after the U.S. imposed export controls on high-end AI chips.
- Chinese officials warn of the need to stay vigilant against “inconsistent” U.S. chip policies.
- The plan emphasizes developing AI computing power, closely integrating chips, software, and hardware.
- Prioritized breakthroughs include high-end training chips, edge inference chips, AI servers, high-speed interconnect technologies, and operating systems for intelligent computing clouds.
- China will build intelligent computing infrastructure, a national computing resource scheduling system, and AI cloud pilot programs.
📌 Conclusion: China’s new AI plan for manufacturing reveals a shift from a “model race” to controlling the entire AI supply chain—from chips and data to infrastructure and industrial applications. With targets of 3–5 large models, 100 datasets, and 500 scenarios by 2027, Beijing seeks both technological self-reliance and global influence. Amid U.S.–China tensions, AI is increasingly viewed as a strategic pillar on par with energy or semiconductors.
