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　　Recently, upon the submission of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the State Council officially issued the Opinions on Deepening the Implementation of the “AI Plus” Initiative (hereinafter referred to as the Opinions). At today’s press conference held by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), a clear blueprint was outlined for the integration of AI into China’s economic and social development, focusing on key issues such as the core content, implementation path, phased objectives, and impact on people’s well-being set out in the Opinions.

　　Six Actions and Eight Pillars:Charting a Development Path with Chinese Characteristics

　　According to Li Chao, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Opinions focuses on advancing industry application needs and foundational capacity building in a coordinated manner. It calls for six major actions under the “AI Plus” initiative, spanning science and technology, industrial development, consumption upgrading, people’s well-being, security governance, and global cooperation. In addition, the Opinions also highlights efforts in eight key areas, including models, data, computing power, applications, open source, talent, policies and regulations, and security, aiming to systematically establish a foundational support system for AI, promote the broad and in-depth integration of AI across all sectors and industries of the economy and society, and explore a development path with Chinese characteristics.

　　Huo Fupeng, director of the Innovation-Driven Development Center at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), noted that the next one to two years will be a crucial window for the practical application of AI. He highlighted the need to mobilize resources across society and focus on six key areas—science and technology, industry, consumption, people’s well-being, governance, and global cooperation—to generate a synergy for development, transforming the “AI Plus” initiative from a “blueprint” into a tangible reality.

　　AI Plus and Internet Plus: Iterative Upgrades in Ongoing Development

　　When discussing the differences between “AI Plus” and “Internet Plus,” Zhang Kailin, deputy director of the Department of Innovation and High-Tech Development at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), noted that both the Internet and AI are general-purpose technologies, sharing characteristics such as innovative application models, rapid iteration, and strong capacities to transform traditional business forms. However, “Internet Plus” emphasizes “connectivity,” leveraging networks to transmit information and achieve process reengineering and efficiency improvements; and “AI Plus” builds upon the foundation of “Internet Plus” to make a leap from “information connection and dissemination” to “knowledge application and creation,” driving deeper transformations such as the reorganization of production factors and the upgrading of value creation.

　　Zhang Kailin emphasized that China is now well-positioned to implement the “AI Plus” initiative. “In recent years, with the rapid evolution and iteration of AI technologies, AI has demonstrated strong general-purpose capabilities, capable of ‘drawing inferences from one instance to others,’ with its technological versatility greatly strengthened. The conditions for carrying out the ‘AI Plus’ initiative are now mature. This is an essential requirement for accelerating the development of new quality productive forces and promoting the transformation of the digital economy into an intelligent economy.”

　　Gradual Progress Towards a Fully Intelligent Economy and Society by 2035

　　Huo Fupeng explained that the Opinions sets out three-phase objectives to ensure the steady and orderly implementation of the “AI Plus” initiative.

　　First, by 2027, China will take the lead in achieving broad and deep integration of AI across six key areas. The adoption rate of next-generation intelligent devices and agents is expected to exceed 70%, the core industries of the intelligent economy will see rapid growth, AI’s role in public governance will be significantly enhanced, and the framework for open and cooperative AI development will be further refined.

　　Second, by 2030, AI will fully empower China’s high-quality development. The adoption rate of next-generation intelligent devices and agents is expected to surpass 90%, the intelligent economy will emerge as a key growth engine for the national economy, and the benefits and outcomes of technological progress will be more widely shared. This phase emphasizes both the breadth and depth of AI applications, aiming for a more comprehensive and systematic integration. It seeks to ensure that the public widely benefits from the services offered by intelligent hardware and software, positioning AI as a general-purpose engine driving development across all sectors and industries.

　　Third, by 2035, China will have fully entered a new stage of development in both the intelligent economy and intelligent society, providing strong support for basically realizing socialist modernization. This objective sets higher development requirements for the “AI Plus” initiative.

　　“AI Plus”: Deepening AI Applicationsin People’s Well-being, Bringing Four Major Changes

　　“AI Plus” is not only at the forefront of scientific and technological development but also closely connected to the real concerns of the public.

　　At present, AI is increasingly being integrated into all aspects of production and daily life, empowering a wide range of industries and benefiting households across the country. Huo Fupeng noted that the Opinions outlines key actions of integrating AI in areas such as people’s well-being and consumption upgrading, many of which are closely linked to people’s daily lives and are specifically reflected in the following four enhancements.

　　First, work processes will become more intelligent. On one hand, in labor-shortage or high-risk sectors such as mining and high-altitude operations, AI is expected to serve as a reliable “partner” for workers; on the other hand, AI-related training can equip workers to master new tools and adapt to new business forms, while employment risk assessments can help identify and mitigate structural unemployment risks.

　　Second, education and learning will become more efficient. AI will be deeply integrated into all elements and processes of education, fostering a shift from knowledge transmission to competency development.

　　Third, quality of life will be further enhanced. AI applications in scenarios such as assisted diagnosis and treatment, and health management will enhance primary healthcare services; intelligent companionship and smart elderly care will improve everyday living; and AI-assisted creation of content incorporating Chinese cultural elements will help foster a thriving cultural industry.

　　Fourth, the consumption structure will be further optimized. This includes expanding new consumption scenarios, such as experiential consumption, to meet residents’ diverse needs; promoting the widespread adoption of intelligent terminals, including Internet Connected Vehicles (ICVs); and accelerating the integration and innovation of AI with cutting-edge technologies like the metaverse, thus continuously unlocking new consumption potential. Looking ahead, as the “AI Plus” initiative advances, “intelligence” will become an integral part of every household, bringing the benefits of technology to everyone.