'AI+' Initiative to Reshape Economy and Society
The State Council of China released a policy document on deeply implementing the "AI+" Initiative, for embedding AI across all sectors of the economy and society on August 26. The policy envisions AI as a transformative force to revolutionize productivity, reshape social relations, and establish a new paradigm of human-machine collaboration, cross-boundary integration, and shared creation.
The overall target is to accelerate the rise of an intelligent economy and intelligent society. By 2027, AI applications in six priority areas will have more than 70 percent adoption, with new intelligent terminals and agents becoming widely popularized.
By 2030, this penetration rate is projected to surpass 90 percent, making AI a central growth engine of the Chinese economy.
By 2035, China aims to enter a new stage of fully developed intelligent economy and society, providing strong support for the country's modernization.
The document outlines concrete actions in six major domains: science and technology, industry, consumption, public welfare, governance and global cooperation.
In science, AI will drive new research paradigms, accelerate breakthroughs from "0 to 1," and advance scientific data sharing and cross-disciplinary innovation. Industry will see intelligent-native enterprises emerge, traditional sectors upgraded, and agriculture transformed through smart equipment and digital tools. Service industries are expected to evolve from digital to intelligent modes, creating entirely new business models.
On the social front, AI is expected to create smarter jobs, personalized education, accessible healthcare, and richer cultural production, while also enhancing companionship, elder care, and social inclusion. Governance will be modernized through intelligent infrastructure, smart urban planning, and enhanced public security capabilities, while environmental management will benefit from AI-driven monitoring and prediction.
Internationally, China pledges to treat AI as a global public good, narrowing the "intelligence gap" through inclusive cooperation, promoting open-source ecosystems, and supporting the United Nations in building a fair and secure global AI governance system.
To ensure implementation, the policy emphasizes strengthening fundamental capabilities in models, data and computing power, expanding application platforms, cultivating talent, improving regulatory frameworks, and reinforcing AI safety.
By mobilizing government, industry, academia and global partnerships, China seeks to accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces and ensure that the benefits of AI are shared widely.