China's MIIT Signals Major Push for AI Large Models in Manufacturing and Beyond

Key Points

China’s MIIT is accelerating the development and deployment of AI large models, focusing on both general-purpose and industry-specific applications.
The focus is on building high-quality industrial datasets and integrating AI into key sectors like manufacturing, electronics, and raw materials across the entire value chain.
AI is seen as critical for empowering ‘New Industrialization’ (Xinxing Gongyehua 新型工业化) by upgrading manufacturing processes and key industries.
The MIIT plans to cultivate leading enterprises, support ’Zhuanjing Texin’ SMEs specialists, build open-source communities, and accelerate AI standards development.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is gearing up to significantly strengthen the development and rollout of Artificial Intelligence (AI) large models, marking a pivotal move for the nation’s tech landscape.

Get ready for a deeper dive into both general-purpose and industry-specific AI applications.

Recent reports highlight the MIIT’s focus on accelerating the creation of high-quality datasets specifically tailored for the industrial sector.

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Building a Complete AI Ecosystem

Xie Shaofeng (Xie Shaofeng 谢少锋), the Chief Engineer at MIIT, pointed out that China isn’t starting from scratch.

The country has already cultivated a comprehensive AI industrial ecosystem.

This ecosystem covers crucial layers:

Foundational tech
Frameworks
AI Models
Application layers

China’s Established AI Industrial Ecosystem Layers
Ecosystem Layer
Foundational Tech
Frameworks
AI Models
Application Layers

We’re seeing Large AI models making quick inroads into key sectors like:

Electronics
Raw materials
Consumer goods

These models are being deployed across the value chain, including:

Research and Development (R&D)
Design processes
Pilot testing
Manufacturing operations
Operational management

AI Large Model Deployment Focus Areas
Key Sectors	Value Chain Stages
Electronics	Research and Development (R&D)
Raw Materials	Design Processes
Consumer Goods	Pilot Testing
	Manufacturing Operations
	Operational Management

Manufacturing: The AI Proving Ground

Manufacturing stands out as a critical arena for AI technology deployment, according to Xie Shaofeng (Xie Shaofeng 谢少锋).

The MIIT’s next phase involves a full-court press to use AI for empowering what’s termed ‘New Industrialization’ (Xinxing Gongyehua 新型工业化).

This strategy focuses on two key angles:

Supply Side: Developing more powerful and specialized AI tools and models.
Application Side: Driving adoption and intelligent upgrades across the board.

The goal is to infuse AI into:

The entire manufacturing process
Key industries
Specific end-products

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Fostering Growth and Standards

Beyond direct application, the MIIT plans to nurture the ecosystem by:

Cultivating leading industry enterprises.
Supporting the growth of ‘Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New’ (Zhuanjing Texin 专精特新) Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Building robust AI open-source communities to foster collaboration.
Accelerating the development of critical and urgently needed AI standards.

MIIT’s AI Ecosystem Nurturing Strategies
Strategy Area	Description
Enterprise Cultivation	Fostering leading industry enterprises in AI.
SME Support	Supporting the growth of ‘Zhuanjing Texin’ (Specialized, Refined, Unique, New) SMEs.
Community Building	Establishing robust AI open-source communities for collaboration.
Standards Development	Accelerating the creation of critical and urgently needed AI standards.

This coordinated effort underscores China’s commitment to embedding AI deeply within its industrial core, pushing for upgrades and maintaining competitiveness through advanced AI large models.

FAQs

What is China’s MIIT currently focusing on regarding AI?

The MIIT is focusing on strengthening the research, development, and deployment of both general-purpose and industry-specific AI large models. A key part of this is accelerating the build-out of high-quality datasets for industrial applications.

What are ‘industry-specific large models’?

These are large AI models specifically trained and fine-tuned for tasks within particular industries (like manufacturing, electronics, or raw materials), as opposed to general-purpose models (like ChatGPT) designed for a wide range of tasks.

How is AI already being used in Chinese manufacturing?

AI large models are being implemented in sectors like electronics, raw materials, and consumer goods. Applications span R&D, design, pilot testing, manufacturing processes, and operational management.

What is ‘New Industrialization’ (Xinxing Gongyehua 新型工业化)?

‘New Industrialization’ refers to China’s strategy for modernizing its industrial sector, heavily leveraging advanced technologies like AI to upgrade manufacturing processes, key industries, and products for greater efficiency and innovation.

What are ‘Zhuanjing Texin’ SMEs?

‘Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New’ (Zhuanjing Texin 专精特新) refers to a category of high-quality SMEs encouraged by the Chinese government. These companies typically focus on niche markets, possess strong R&D capabilities, utilize unique technologies, and produce innovative products. The MIIT aims to cultivate these types of firms within the AI sector.