China has set an ambitious goal for the next five years. The country aims to become the global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) development and establish itself as the world’s dominant AI powerhouse.

This ambition is outlined in the latest technology blueprint released by the Chinese government through its 15th Five-Year Plan, which extends through 2030.

Through the plan, the government in Beijing has identified a range of strategic technologies that will serve as key development priorities in the coming years.

The list is extensive, covering AI, humanoid robots, flying cars, and technologies that enable direct communication between the human brain and computers through brain-computer interfaces.

Among the various objectives, one of the most notable targets is China’s intention to integrate AI into 90% of its national economic activities by 2030.

As a result, AI is expected to go far beyond chatbots and digital assistants. The technology is envisioned to support factory operations, enhance business processes, and perform a wide range of economic functions.

To achieve this goal, the Chinese government is preparing investments worth billions of U.S. dollars across multiple technology sectors. Priority areas include:

• Humanoid robots designed to perform human tasks in workplaces and households.
• AI systems for professional environments that can automate routine activities.
• Future industries such as nuclear fusion, quantum technology for space exploration, biomanufacturing, and 6G communication networks.
• Low-altitude aviation technologies, including flying cars and drone-based delivery services that are already in operation but still require further refinement before large-scale deployment.
• Brain-computer interfaces that use AI to translate neural signals into executable commands.

Although these technologies appear highly diverse, they are largely connected by one common element: AI serves as their primary foundation.

The Chinese government appears to envision AI not merely as a chatbot technology but as the central intelligence powering numerous systems used by both society and industry.

Signs of this vision are already becoming evident today.

For example, Chinese automakers have begun equipping vehicles with AI assistants and intelligent driving features. Technology companies are also introducing AI-powered wearable devices.

Meanwhile, newly released AI video-generation models have reportedly raised concerns within the film industry and Hollywood due to their ability to create highly realistic video content.

Open-Source AI as a Core Strategy

In addition to committing substantial investments, China is pursuing a different approach from many AI companies in the United States.

One of its key strategies is maintaining most domestically developed AI models as open-source technologies.

This approach allows developers to download, use, and modify AI models with greater freedom.

According to Brookings Institute researcher Kyle Chan, this strategy contrasts with many leading U.S. AI models, which are generally closed-source and often require paid subscriptions.

China believes that an open-source approach can accelerate AI adoption while simultaneously expanding the ecosystem of developers and companies utilizing the technology.

Chan explained that China’s open-source strategy is designed to encourage widespread adoption by offering AI models free of charge, building a broader software ecosystem, and later generating revenue through paid integration and technical support services.

Challenges Remain

Despite its ambition to become the world’s AI leader, China is not expected to achieve this objective without obstacles. One of the most significant challenges remains its dependence on advanced AI chips.

These high-performance chips are essential for training and operating large-scale AI models.

The challenge is that the advanced AI chip market continues to be dominated by U.S.-based companies.

Since 2022, the U.S. government has imposed restrictions on the export of advanced AI chips to China as part of the broader technological competition between the two countries.

This situation has prompted China to accelerate the development of its domestic semiconductor industry in an effort to reduce reliance on U.S. chip supplies.

However, Chinese-made chips are still widely regarded as being unable to match the capabilities of their American counterparts. According to an analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations, Huawei’s most advanced AI chip remains significantly behind leading U.S. products.

Its performance is reportedly around five times lower than that of the most advanced AI chips currently available in the United States.