Beijing Establishes Bold Goals for Nationwide AI Integration Over the Next Decade

China is set to achieve a 70% AI technology adoption rate in the next few years, allowing its citizens to utilize “next-generation smart devices, intelligent agents, and more” by 2027, according to a State Council directive detailing the country’s most ambitious AI goals to date.

The policy aims to “transform production and daily life” and “enable a significant leap in productivity,” requiring AI deployment across technology, industry, consumption, governance, welfare, and international collaboration.

By 2030, AI adoption is projected to hit 90%, with an anticipated completely “intelligent economy and society” by 2035, as per the council.

Achieving the 2027 target implies that 980 million Chinese individuals will be using AI-driven devices or services regularly. For reference, China’s smartphone adoption reached 70% in 2018, eight years post the local launch of the iPhone. The expectation is for a similar trajectory in AI adoption within the next three years.

These milestones significantly outstrip those established by Western nations. For instance, the U.S. National AI Initiative Act lacks precise adoption mandates. The EU’s AI Act is more focused on risk management than actual deployment. 

In the meantime, other countries are rushing to keep up. 

Canada enhanced its AI strategy this year, while Taiwan has initiated a plan to generate over $510 billion in AI tech by 2040. Egypt’s Digital Builders initiative, supported by Microsoft and Amazon, aims to train 100,000 AI specialists by 2030.

This aggressive timeline builds on the current progress made by Chinese AI companies like DeepSeek, whose technologies already power numerous applications, including Shenzhen’s surveillance systems, voice controls in Geely vehicles, and diagnostic systems in close to 100 hospitals. 

Longgang County, one of Shenzhen’s nine districts, has reduced administrative approval times by 90% after implementing Deepseek’s AI. The startup continues to thrive even amidst U.S. export limitations designed to hinder China’s dominance in AI technology.

The directive from the State Council calls for the establishment of “AI-focused enterprises whose foundational architectures and operational methodologies prioritize AI,” persuading companies to embed artificial intelligence within their strategic frameworks.

There is also a push to promote “intelligent connectivity of everything” across smart devices and product ecosystems.

The Chinese policy aims to “assist Global South nations in developing AI capabilities” using open-source technologies and computational resources, positioning Beijing as an appealing alternative to Western frameworks. It explicitly mentions “treat[ing] AI as a global common good for all humanity.”

Industrial ventures may involve “smart agricultural tools, including advanced farming machinery, agricultural drones, and robotic systems” in agriculture, while the service industry will be tasked with incorporating “unmanned services” alongside human labor. 

However, considerable changes will be necessary in the financial services, logistics, and legal fields for such aspirations to be realized, alongside the expected challenges that will stem from continuous technological progress.

The policy addresses concerns such as “model opacity (black-box issues), hallucinations, and algorithm discrimination,” and aims to establish governance frameworks for “natural persons, digital entities, and intelligent robots,” indicating potential legal recognition for AI agents.

The tone of the State Council’s directive is quite clear: regions and agencies “are required to closely align these recommendations with actual circumstances” and “ensure tangible outcomes,” as stated.