Dong Zhiyong: "AI Plus" [1] Empowers the Development of New Quality Productive Forces (Major Insights) [2]
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "China attaches high importance to the development of artificial intelligence (AI), actively promoting the deep integration of the internet, big data, and AI with the real economy, cultivating and strengthening intelligent industries, and accelerating the development of new quality productive forces to provide new kinetic energy for high-quality development." The Central Economic Work Conference [1] held at the end of last year identified the "AI Plus" initiative as a key task to be grasped this year. This has sparked even greater public attention toward AI. As a major driving force for the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, AI possesses typical characteristics of a General Purpose Technology (GPT). It can function as a "tool" in nearly all economic activities and is profoundly changing people's modes of production and life. Launching the "AI Plus" initiative can not only promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries but also cultivate and develop new quality productive forces through intelligent management and cross-industry synergy. This will vigorously promote the realization of effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of the economy, helping China occupy a more advantageous strategic position in the global competitive landscape. We must seize the major strategic opportunities of AI development, build China's first-mover advantage in AI development, and accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces through the innovative development of AI to serve economic and social development, support national security, and vigorously promote Chinese-path modernization.
China’s Achievements in AI Development are Remarkable
In recent years, driven by policy guidance, technological breakthroughs, and industrial applications, China's AI development has achieved remarkable success. China's AI technology continues to break through, particularly in fields such as speech recognition, image processing, intelligent manufacturing, and autonomous driving, where it occupies a leading international position. Meanwhile, as technology matures and application scenarios expand, China's AI is steadily advancing toward deep integration and innovation-driven development, contributing "Chinese wisdom" to the development of the global intelligent economy.
The construction of new-type information infrastructure has laid a solid foundation for AI development. New-type information infrastructure is an infrastructure system based on information networks and driven by the innovation of new-generation information and communication technologies. In recent years, China has accelerated the construction of new-type information infrastructure, solidifying the "base" for AI development. As of the end of November 2024, China had cumulatively built 4.191 million 5G base stations, with 1.002 billion 5G mobile phone users, creating the world's largest 5G network. This has accumulated a rich foundation of technology, data, industry, scenarios, and markets for AI development. For example, some e-commerce and social platforms, relying on new-type information infrastructure and massive user data, have deeply integrated big data analysis, AI algorithms, and cloud computing technologies to drive the intelligent upgrading of industries, forming a virtuous cycle. The shift from "Internet Plus" and digitalization to "AI Plus" is not only a leap in the "techno-economic" paradigm but also a profound transformation in the mode of development, capable of spawning new economic growth points and injecting new kinetic energy into high-quality economic development.
A continuously optimizing policy environment provides safeguards for AI development. China attaches high importance to AI development, from the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan and the Three-Year Action Plan for Promoting the Development of a New Generation Artificial Intelligence Industry (2018–2020) to the "AI Plus" initiative; China has continuously strengthened the top-level design [2] of AI development. At the same time, the government encourages various regions to strengthen practical exploration based on local characteristics to build highland for AI development. For instance, Beijing released its "AI Plus" action plan, creating landmark applications in robotics, education, healthcare, culture, and transportation. Shenzhen introduced several measures to build itself into an AI pioneer city, focusing on advanced manufacturing, modern services, and scientific research to empower "thousands of industries" with AI. Shanghai is promoting the "AI Plus" initiative in government services to create the "Smart and Easy-to-Handle" (智慧好办) brand. Several regions have successively released special action plans to promote the deep integration of AI with the local economy, accelerating the creation of an AI industrial ecosystem with local characteristics and forming a development pattern with demonstration effects.
Rich application scenarios expand the space for AI development. In terms of technological R&D, the innovative application of AI technology not only promotes the optimization of algorithms but also assists technological breakthroughs in intelligent chips and hardware. According to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) statistics, from 2014 to 2023, China’s patent applications for generative AI exceeded 38,000, ranking first in the world. Currently, China has preliminarily constructed a relatively comprehensive AI industrial system, with the industrial chain covering key upstream and downstream links such as chips, algorithms, data, platforms, and applications. Several AI large models [3] led by China have been widely applied in transportation, online shopping, learning, and office work. Industrially, AI technology is not only widely used in intelligent manufacturing, smart cities, and intelligent driving—promoting the growth of emerging business formats—but also facilitates the intelligent upgrading and digital transformation of traditional industries. Data from the 2023–2024 Annual Research Report on China's Intelligent Manufacturing Development shows that in 2023, the scale of China's intelligent manufacturing-related industries grew by 14.9% year-on-year to 2.88 trillion yuan, with high growth expected to continue over the next three years. Regionally, China has formed several internationally competitive AI industrial clusters centered in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, providing strong momentum for the development of the AI industry and promoting coordinated regional economic development. Rich application scenarios have explored new models and paths for AI development.
AI Opens New Development Space for New Quality Productive Forces
Currently, global technological competition is intensifying, and the international environment is becoming increasingly complex and severe. Only by balancing development and security, and insisting on equal emphasis on both, can the "Great Ship of China" ride the wind and waves and sail steadily toward its destination [4]. AI opens new development space for new quality productive forces. Empowering the development of new quality productive forces with "AI Plus" is of great significance for achieving a virtuous interaction between high-quality development and high-level security.
Injecting momentum into economic transformation and upgrading. Currently, China's economy is at a critical juncture of "climbing hills and crossing ridges" [5] toward high-quality development, with the heavy tasks of shifting development drivers, transforming modes, and adjusting structures. AI, through the deep analysis and processing of various types of data, promotes a comprehensive transformation of production methods, business models, and consumption patterns, providing strong momentum for economic transformation and upgrading. In traditional industries, using AI to promote intelligent transformation and digital upgrades can improve production efficiency, reduce costs, and lead toward high-end, intelligent, and green development. For example, some intelligent garment factories, by introducing auxiliary design large models, achieve seamless connection across the entire production process—from cutting and sewing to ironing and warehouse matching—significantly increasing the proportion of customized clothing in total output. In emerging industries, AI creates vast business opportunities and development space, giving rise to new industries and models such as autonomous driving and intelligent healthcare, creating new growth points.
Providing support for safeguarding economic security. As the "changes unseen in a century" [6] accelerate, safeguarding economic security is crucial for continuously enhancing China's economic competitiveness, innovation capacity, and risk-resistance capability. The application of AI, on the basis of promoting industrial structure optimization and upgrading, can increase the overall added value of industries, enhance the diversity of industrial entities, reduce dependence on single markets or resources, and improve the ability to handle uncertainties, thereby enhancing the resilience and safety levels of industrial and supply chains. As AI deeply integrates with the real economy, data security has become a global and systemic issue. The application of AI helps build a secure and controllable technical framework, improving real-time response capabilities toward network security threats through automated monitoring systems, preventing data leaks, hacker attacks, and other cyber risks, and ensuring information security across all fields.
Laying the foundation for improving the inclusiveness of development. As a major force empowering new quality productive forces, AI improves the inclusiveness of development by optimizing resource allocation and service efficiency. For example, in the field of rural revitalization, AI, through big data analysis and intelligent algorithms, provides more accurate demand forecasting and resource allocation plans for regions that have escaped poverty, helping to increase farmers' income and improve local production and living conditions. In the field of education, AI enhances the accessibility and equity of educational resources through personalized teaching and intelligent tutoring. In public services, applying AI to data governance and intelligent decision-making can enhance the efficiency and precision of social governance, helping to promote the modernization of the national governance system and capacity.
Firmly Grasping the Major Historical Opportunity of AI Development
Currently, China's AI development has entered a new stage. We must clearly recognize that a gap still exists between China's overall level of AI development and that of developed countries. To implement the task of "launching the 'AI Plus' initiative and cultivating future industries" proposed by the Central Economic Work Conference, we must plan proactively, grasp the direction, seize the initiative, and firmly grasp the major historical opportunities of AI development to accelerate AI innovation.
Build a healthy and complete industrial ecosystem. Innovation is the driver of AI development, and industry is its carrier. We must establish a market-oriented innovation system, promote deep cooperation and synergy among technology developers, investors, and market participants, and form a digital innovation ecosystem integrating industry, academia, research, and application. We should construct an industrial ecosystem centered on technological R&D, scenario application, and industrial upgrading, building an interconnected ecosystem of shared resources. Based on the resource endowments and industrial foundations of different regions, differentiated industrial cluster development strategies should be formulated to promote the characteristic development of local industrial clusters. Leading enterprises should play a guiding role in clusters, driving innovation and resource integration among upstream and downstream enterprises, and enhancing the overall competitiveness of the cluster. SMEs should be encouraged to integrate into AI clusters and form competitive advantages in their respective market niches through collaborative innovation. Mechanisms for coordinated regional development should be established to promote cross-regional exchange and promotion of AI technology, gradually expanding the application scenarios and coverage of "AI Plus."
Construct an effective market for data elements. Data is the core element for developing AI and driving technological innovation and industrial upgrading. Building an efficient, open, and innovative data element market is an important safeguard for AI development. We should explore the establishment of a data property rights system, promote the structural separation of data rights and their orderly circulation, and coordinately build standardized and efficient data trading venues. As an important part of social resources, public data plays an irreplaceable role in promoting AI application and innovation. To this end, we must advance the pulse of the mechanism for confirming and authorizing rights to public data, further increase the degree of data openness, and expand the scope of supply and use for public data that does not carry personal information and does not affect public security. We should respect the labor and other factor contributions of data processors in data collection and processing, fully safeguarding their rights to use data and obtain benefits.
Build a multi-level talent cultivation system. Talent is the key to driving AI development; the quantity and quality of talent directly affect the quality of AI development. We must strengthen the reform of AI in basic and higher education, popularize basic AI knowledge in primary and secondary schools, strengthen vocational training to improve the digital literacy of workers, and optimize curriculum settings in universities according to the needs of AI industrial development. We should optimize talent introduction policies and improve incentive mechanisms to attract and retain top global talent. Importance must be attached to the professional development and follow-up support of talent, so that more high-end talent can be introduced and retained, enhancing their sense of belonging and creativity. We should actively promote domestic units to conduct cooperation and exchanges with international organizations and overseas universities, utilizing global intellectual resources to advance China's AI innovation and development.
Optimize AI regulatory policies. The rapid development of AI brings major opportunities for economic development while posing new governance challenges. Therefore, we must promote the standardized development of AI and optimize regulatory policies. We should improve the legal framework regarding data privacy protection, algorithm transparency, and technical ethics, clarifying the "red lines" for technology development and application and the boundaries of responsibility for various entities to ensure technical safety and fairness. A communication mechanism involving multiple parties should be established, as well as cross-departmental and cross-field regulatory coordination mechanisms, to form a synergy in technological R&D, data usage, and ethical evaluation. We must strengthen international cooperation, promote the coordination of rules and the unification of technical standards globally, accelerate the construction of an inclusive and prudent governance mechanism, and encourage all sectors of society to actively participate in the ethical and safety supervision of AI, ensuring that the development of AI technology conforms to human well-being.
(The author is a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Committee and Vice President of Peking University) Source: People's Daily (January 13, 2025, Page 09) Web Editor: Hui Hui