By 2026, China will have more than 300 “typical” data applications, a few data application demonstration zones and an array of “innovative and influential” data providers and third-party agencies, according to the draft plan. The final document has yet to be released.
Beijing launches AI platform to meet country’s rising demand for computing power
Beijing launches AI platform to meet country’s rising demand for computing power
“We aim to fully utilise the value of data and provide solid support to high quality [economic and social] development,” NDA deputy head Shen Zhulin said in Beijing on Friday.
“We selected 12 industries and sectors after considering their foundations, application scenarios and different demands,” Shen said. “We also consulted other government departments, experts and companies, and will adjust the plan in a timely manner to reflect feedback from society.”
The 12 areas in focus are industrial manufacturing, modern agriculture, trade, transport, financial services, technological innovation, culture and tourism, medical care and health, emergency management, meteorological services, smart city governance, and green and low-carbon economy.
The digitalisation push will include smart manufacturing to improve industrial and regional synergy, integration of agricultural production, and the sharing of tax and industry data with financial institutions for better credit checks by banks. Also, scientific and research data will be opened up to boost technological innovation and large AI models, such as those that power prominent chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The NDA, which takes over many duties of the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s top internet watchdog, has been tasked with driving digital development by creating blueprints, introducing unified standards for data sharing, and supporting the digitalisation of public services.
China’s digital economy was worth an estimated 50.2 trillion yuan (US$7.07 trillion) last year, accounting for 41.5 per cent of the national GDP. But rapid growth in the sector has brought management and regulatory challenges. For instance, about 15 government organisations are responsible for data regulation and governance, resulting in bureaucratic red tape and inefficiency.