In 2015, China launched the “Internet+” program, a digital transformation policy aimed at integrating the internet into every sector of the traditional economy. Ten years later, Beijing is embarking on an even more ambitious shift with the launch of the “AI+” plan, officially announced in March 2024 by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The goal: to make artificial intelligence a ubiquitous infrastructure, driving growth, innovation, and global competitiveness.
At the heart of this strategy lies the issue of technological sovereignty. As geopolitical tensions surrounding semiconductors and foundational AI models intensify, China aims to demonstrate its ability to integrate AI across all its strategic sectors with unparalleled speed and scale. The “AI+” plan builds on the roadmap established by the State Council as early as 2017, which aimed to make China “the global leader in artificial intelligence by 2030”1.
AI+: A Large-Scale, Multisectoral, and Transformative Plan
The "AI+" plan is based on a simple principle: every sector is eligible for AI integration. This includes agriculture, healthcare, transportation, finance, manufacturing, education, cybersecurity, public administration, and even culture and sports.
According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), more than 400 pilot projects have been launched under the “AI+” initiative since the beginning of 20252. These initiatives are supported by a public-private ecosystem mobilized at all levels: government grants, tax incentives, innovation loans, and university partnerships.
The role of major Chinese companies, particularly the BATX (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Xiaomi), is central to this trend. Alibaba Cloud already offers specific AI solutions for logistics, commerce, and smart cities. Baidu, through its Ernie models, provides voice and visual APIs integrated into public services. These giants are poised to become the driving force behind the industrial deployment of AI in the country.
Leading-edge technologies and infrastructure deployed
The "AI+" plan is based on the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies, including:
- multilingual and multimodal foundation models (e.g., Ernie 4.0, Skywork, Yi),
- a sovereign computing infrastructure (regional data centers, edge computing, hybrid cloud),
- local AI processors, such as Huawei’s Ascend chips, designed to circumvent U.S. restrictions3.
China is investing heavily in its computing capabilities. In 2024, it announced the launch of more than 30 new high-performance computing centers across the country. At the same time, standardization efforts are underway to ensure the interoperability of AI solutions among ministries, companies, and local governments. The MIIT recently published a set of AI industry standards covering algorithmic auditing, cybersecurity, and model evaluation.
Is AI becoming ubiquitous in everyday life?
The first practical applications of “AI+” are beginning to appear in people’s daily lives. In hospitals, AI is used for medical imaging, diagnostic assistance, and predictive bed management. The Beijing hospital system now uses a centralized platform capable of processing 100,000 medical images per day to detect lung cancer at an early stage4.
In the legal field, some courts use AI for automated drafting of rulings or predictive analysis of litigation. In education, adaptive learning platforms are being deployed in more than 1,500 elementary schools to personalize learning paths, with automated progress tracking.
Smart cities are another area for experimentation. In Shanghai, an AI-powered traffic management system has reduced average travel times by 15% in certain neighborhoods in less than a year. Smart cameras there also detect incidents in real time.
Ethical and Critical Issues Surrounding the Chinese Model
The scope and centralized nature of the “AI+” plan highlight significant ethical and governance issues. The integration of AI into sensitive areas such as healthcare, education, the justice system, and transportation involves processing vast amounts of personal data. This raises serious questions about privacy protection and algorithmic transparency.
China has launched several initiatives in this area. The Cyberspace Administration of China has issued guidelines governing the ethical use of language models and the management of AI-generated content. At the same time, the MIIT is gradually introducing industry standards to enhance the security, auditability, and interoperability of systems.
While these measures reflect a desire to provide regulatory guidance, they differ from the approaches adopted in other parts of the world, such as the European Union’s AI Act, which is based on a binding legal framework. China’s strategy emphasizes rapid experimentation and large-scale deployment, which fuels the debate over the balance between innovation, efficiency, and the protection of rights.
In fact, several researchers and academics in China are calling for greater transparency and the development of independent oversight mechanisms to ensure balanced governance of AI. These discussions show that ethical considerations are not absent from the debate, but rather that they are embedded within a specific cultural, political, and regulatory framework.
A global vision that is reshaping the global technological landscape
The "AI+" strategy is not limited to China's borders. It is also part of China's ambition to play a leading role in setting global AI standards. Through the "Digital Silk Road" initiative, Beijing is exporting its AI infrastructure to countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, particularly in the health and security sectors.
Pilot projects have been launched in Pakistan, Nigeria, and Cambodia. The goal is twofold: to create technological dependence on Chinese solutions and to influence international standards, thereby circumventing Western regulations deemed too restrictive.
Faced with this trend, Europe is still searching for its path forward. The AI Act, while groundbreaking, is still seen as a barrier to rapid innovation. The rise of the Chinese model could therefore reshuffle the deck: the issue is no longer merely technological; it is becoming geostrategic and normative.
AI: A Lever for Global Influence or a Governance Challenge?
With “AI+,” China is not merely accelerating its digital transformation; it is redefining the global technological landscape. By deploying a multi-sectoral, centralized, and heavily funded AI strategy, it seeks to gain a competitive edge over its rivals. This strategy, however, raises a fundamental question: can we build a smart future without a democratic debate on the purpose of artificial intelligence?
Learn more
You can also read our blog post: “VivaTech 2025: Mistral AI Unveils a Sovereign High-Performance Computing Infrastructure in Partnership with Nvidia” to learn how other countries are also building their technology strategies around AI.
References
1. State Council of China. (2017). New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan.
http://www.gov.cn/
2. MIIT. (2025). AI+ Pilot Projects Summary Report.
http://www.miit.gov.cn/
3. Huawei. (2024). Ascend 910B: Next-Generation AI Processor.
https://www.huawei.com/
4. Beijing Municipal Health Commission. (2024). AI Diagnostic Efficiency in Urban Hospitals.
http://www.bjhc.gov.cn/
