China's AI sector tops $165 billion in 2025, minister says

(ECNS) - The output of China's core artificial intelligence industry exceeded 1.2 trillion yuan ($165 billion) in 2025, with more than 6,200 companies operating in the field, said Li Lecheng, head of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, on Thursday.

Speaking after the opening meeting of the fourth session otwof the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) held in Beijing, Li noted that China's AI sector has expanded rapidly as the government promotes advanced technologies to support industrial upgrading and economic growth.

Chinese open-source AI models recorded the highest number of downloads globally over the past year, reflecting growing adoption of China-developed models around the world, Li added.

He also said that AI technologies are being increasingly adopted in manufacturing. By the end of 2025, more than 30% of large-scale manufacturing enterprises in China had applied AI technologies in their operations.

Meanwhile, Chinese companies are developing a growing range of intelligent hardware products. Domestic firms have released more than 300 humanoid robot models, Li added.

(By Zhang Jiahao)