China is rolling out new policies to deepen the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across its manufacturing sector to upgrade factories nationwide, an official said on Tuesday.
Wang Weiming, chief engineer of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, announced the measures at a press conference in Beijing, noting that the initiative aims to accelerate industrial transformation by embedding AI into full production and operational workflows.
"The key to developing next-generation smart manufacturing is to promote the deep integration of AI technologies with the entire manufacturing chain, and to enhance the self-perception, self-decision-making and self-execution capabilities of equipment and systems," Wang said.
"It will drive changes in production methods and corporate organizational structures, explore the formation of new manufacturing models, and help enterprises reduce costs and improve efficiency," he said.
Wang stressed that China plans to tap its massive manufacturing network and active AI scene to help factories upgrade digital infrastructure and embed smart technology into every stage of production.
Smart factories will be supported in exploring next-generation smart manufacturing system architectures and future manufacturing models to guide the development of the industry, Wang added.
The ministry will support companies developing smart industrial machinery, robotics, and automated control systems. These tools will help manufacturers improve operational flexibility and real-time inspection to meet high-precision standards.
China steps up AI integration across manufacturing to upgrade factories
Chinese streaming giant iQIYI has adapted its app for Apple's foldable iPhone Duo in a move that showcases the Nasdaq-listed company's drive to keep up with technological developments, said the company's founder and CEO Gong Yu.
During a visit to iQIYI's Beijing headquarters in October, Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook watched company staff demonstrate the iQIYI streaming app on the new iPhone Duo, due to go on sale on Oct 23. The app highlighted a vertical navigation bar for browsing and watching videos, a tent mode for landscape viewing and a laptop mode that places video above the playback controls.
For Gong, adapting the app reflects a broader shift in how people use smartphones as overall entertainment devices, not just for short-form content but for high-quality movies and television shows as well.
"A smartphone is no longer just a communication device. It has increasingly become an entertainment device. As a film and television streaming company, we pay close attention to new technology in devices that people use for both communication and entertainment. The close collaboration between our teams to adapt our app for the iPhone Duo reflects that approach. Our goal is to give users the best possible viewing experience," he said.
The company is also keeping an eye on tech developments beyond hardware. Gong noted his expectations that AI will help iQIYI adapt content for viewers across language and cultural boundaries.
"AI is also everywhere now, in both hardware and services like ours. For the film and television industry, its biggest impact is that it can lower the barriers to making content and bring down production costs. In particular, it can greatly reduce the cost of overcoming language and cultural barriers. That is a major help for a company like iQIYI as we expand into international markets," said the CEO.
The work on the Duo is part of a wider effort to adapt iQIYI’s service for different devices, Gong said.
"We place great importance on making our software work well with a range of devices, including Apple's, so users get the best possible experience. That way, young viewers and people from different countries and ethnic backgrounds can all enjoy high-quality video," he said.
Returning to AI, he pointed to potential uses for the technology beyond production, including how streaming companies distribute content and earn revenue from it.
"Countries and regions are moving at different speeds when it comes to applying AI. From our perspective, China is among the global leaders in AI. It is also at the forefront of developing business models for streaming services. Strength in both areas gives us a head start in applying AI to film and television production, content distribution and monetization. Innovation in hardware and the use of AI can reinforce each other. Together, they can achieve more than either could alone and unlock greater potential," he said.
China's iQIYI streaming service adapts app for iPhone Duo, eyes AI cost cuts
