At an Oct 19 State Council Information Office press conference on technology-empowered commerce, MIIT said China's AI core industry exceeded 1.2 trillion yuan in 2025, and that in the first half of 2026 shipments of various smart terminals surpassed 100 million units, with more than 6,600 AI enterprises nationwide.
The 'AI + Manufacturing' initiative — issued by MIIT with seven ministries in late 2025 — has covered 20 industries, distilled 1,000-plus high-value application scenarios, published 285 typical cases and connected more than 5,000 enterprises for supply-demand matching, with AI-technology penetration among large manufacturers above 30%. More than 500 high-quality datasets and 100-plus industrial agents have been promoted, and 70-plus international standards led.
Embodied AI represented by humanoid robots is moving from labs into commerce, supported by a nine-department 'Opinions on Accelerating Technology-Empowered Commerce.' MIIT said it will strengthen technology supply, accelerate product renovation — including brain-computer interfaces and embodied intelligence — and smooth production-to-consumption channels so more 'smart goodies' reach shelves and benefit the public.
