The Chinese Communist Party on the 28th released the full text of the Proposals on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (hereinafter the 15-5 Proposals). In the full text, which runs to 20,000 characters, artificial intelligence (AI) is mentioned a total of eight times and presented as a core task. It also contains the ambition to seize the high ground in the AI industry and an emphasis on "computing power," the essential infrastructure of the AI industry.
Mentions of AI in the 15-5 Proposals are concentrated in Article 14, "Building a digital China." The gist is to have AI lead scientific research, seize the strategic high ground of the AI industry, and strengthen AI governance. Specifically: ▲ accelerate AI innovation and achieve technological breakthroughs ▲ implement the "AI plus (+)" policy ▲ transform the paradigm of scientific research using AI ▲ strengthen all-around AI capabilities across all industrial sectors ▲ strengthen AI governance and improve related legal and ethical standards.
Next, Article 24, "Jointly building a high-quality Belt and Road," noted that it will "expand cooperation in areas such as green development, AI, and the digital economy," and Article 50, "Strengthening the construction of national security capabilities in key areas," proposed strengthening the construction of national security capabilities in emerging fields such as networks, data, AI, and bio.
"Computing power," which is virtually a prerequisite for the AI industry, is also mentioned twice. The main points are building and strengthening the supply of computing networks. Article 10, "Building a modernized infrastructure system," said it will take the lead in building new types of infrastructure and promote the construction and intensive, efficient use of information and communications networks, a nationwide integrated computing network, and major science and technology infrastructure, while pushing the renewal of traditional infrastructure and its digital and intelligent upgrading.
The "AI +" policy, whose implementation the 15-5 Proposals foreshadowed, is an action plan the State Council released in Aug., a national action plan to integrate AI into six major areas—science and technology, industry, consumption, people's livelihoods, governance, and global cooperation—to build an "intelligent economy and intelligent society." Through this, it aims to achieve a 70% penetration rate for intelligent terminals (hardware such as smartphones and robots) and intelligent agents (software such as AI agents) by 2027 and 90% by 2030, and to fully enter an "intelligent economy and intelligent society" by 2035.
China Business News, citing experts, said, "The AI development emphasized by the 15-5 Proposals encompasses algorithms, computing power, the integration of AI with traditional industries, governance improvements, global cooperation, and infrastructure upgrades," adding, "The 15-5 Proposals show that the government values AI technology and sent a signal encouraging industrial development."
Liu Ninglong, a professor at City University of Hong Kong, wrote in an op-ed in the South China Morning Post (SCMP) that "the top priority of the 15th Five-Year Plan is the 'AI-led fourth industrial revolution.'" Liu said, "The 15th Five-Year Plan is more than a simple policy blueprint; it is a major turning point," adding, "China must lead AI development with a clear goal of leaping forward as an advanced manufacturing powerhouse. In particular, China should structure major AI models as open source to spur the development of the technology ecosystem."