Guangdong unveils three-year AI manufacturing plan

Guangdong province has unveiled a three-year action plan to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence in manufacturing, aiming to turn the southern economic powerhouse into a global model for "AI + industry" integration.

The provincial government recently formulated and issued the Action Plan for High-Quality Development of Manufacturing Industry Empowered by Artificial Intelligence in Guangdong Province (2025-27), which focuses on strengthening key supplies, promoting application and popularization, building a support system, and optimizing factor guarantees to help achieve the goal.

According to Qu Xiaojie, deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, the action plan requires relevant departments and companies to promote the large-scale application of industrial artificial intelligence further and build a support system for industrial AI development.

Qu said Guangdong has the foundation, conditions, and confidence to empower AI in the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry and to make it bigger and stronger.

Guangdong has all 31 major manufacturing categories, with its manufacturing scale making up about one-eighth of the country's total, according to Qu, who spoke at a news conference in Guangzhou on Wednesday.

"The province has established nine trillion-yuan-level ($140.85 billion) industrial clusters, including those in new-generation electronic information, green petrochemicals, and smart home appliances. These clusters serve as a testing ground for the application of AI empowerment," he said, adding that it has over 1,600 core AI companies and has developed a full-stack industrial chain led by the Huawei Ascend ecosystem and Tencent Hunyuan large models.

Qu said Guangdong sincerely welcomes entrepreneurs, scientists, investors, and workers from all walks of life to share opportunities and drive more advanced technologies, innovative projects, and outstanding enterprises to settle down and thrive in the province, a global production base and innovation hub.

Qu promised his department would offer comprehensive support and guarantees to companies and investors to develop AI and related new and high-tech industries in the coming months.