China Issues Policy to Accelerate 'AI+' Action for New Quality Productive Forces

On October 9, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the "Opinions on Developing New Quality Productive Forces", outlining 19 key measures across five areas: scientific and technological innovation, industrial innovation, innovation in development models, institutional innovation, and innovation in talent work mechanisms. The document calls for the full implementation of an "AI+" action.

The Opinions prioritize "vigorously advancing scientific and technological innovation," including efforts to strengthen original and disruptive innovation, accelerate breakthroughs in key core technologies, coordinate national strategic scientific forces, and enhance enterprises' role in innovation. It also stresses deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, covering tasks such as upgrading traditional industries, fostering emerging industries, planning future industries, and promoting integration of the digital and real economies, with a strong emphasis on the "AI+" initiative.

China has set targets for the initiative: by 2027, AI is expected to be deeply integrated across six key areas, with adoption of next-generation intelligent terminals and AI agents exceeding 70%. Experts say efforts should focus on computing infrastructure, data resource development and sharing, and talent cultivation to enable AI integration across all industries, driving industrial upgrading and green transformation.

The Opinions also put forward four principles—innovation-led, reform-focused, region-specific, and building the new before abandoning the old—to ensure stable and healthy development of new quality productive forces.