China is rapidly advancing its AI capabilities with record-breaking computing power, extensive model releases, and strategic investments, positioning itself as a global leader in the evolving artificial intelligence industry.
This year marks a pivotal transition for AI large models, moving from experimental proof-of-concept stages to broad commercial deployment across numerous industries, according to the Global Computing Power Trends Report (2026) unveiled at the Global Computing Conference in Shenzhen, China. This shift signals a profound global transformation driven by artificial intelligence, with China prominently positioned as a key actor in this technological revolution.
Liu Zhihong, a Council Member of the Global Computing Consortium (GCC), highlighted that AI’s expansion is projected to boost the global economy by 15% in the coming decade, with China anticipated to add approximately 11 trillion yuan to its GDP. This economic acceleration is underpinned by China’s remarkable growth in computing infrastructure and capability. Industry data reveals that China’s intelligent computing capacity surged to 725.3 EFLOPS in 2024, marking an annual increase of 74.1%. Further projections indicate it will escalate to over 1,037 EFLOPS by the end of 2025 and is expected to reach nearly 2,782 EFLOPS by 2028, effectively doubling every two years.
Supporting this trend, more recent figures from mid-2025 show China’s intelligent computing power climbing to 788 EFLOPS, and intelligent computing accounted for roughly 32-35% of the nation’s total computing power during 2024 and early 2025. This growth is part of China’s broader surge in computing infrastructure, with over 10.85 million standard server racks deployed by mid-2025 and storage capacity exceeding 1,680 exabytes, reflecting around a 40% year-on-year increase.
China’s AI ecosystem is further strengthened by its substantial output of large AI models, with the country having released 1,509 such models, a figure among the highest worldwide. This expansion coincides with the country’s rapidly growing data industry, which now comprises over 400,000 enterprises and an output valued at 5.86 trillion yuan as of 2024, more than doubling since 2020. Data production hit 41.06 zettabytes, representing 26.7% of global data output, reinforcing China’s dominance in the data economy.
Beyond infrastructure, AI technology is already reshaping everyday life in China. Autonomous delivery robots navigate local communities for last-mile logistics, while public spectacles like robot marathons and boxing tournaments display advancements in embodied intelligence, AI integrated with robotics and physical systems. Smart homes are now common, with 63% of Chinese homeowners using at least one AI-powered device to control lighting, security, and even elder care, healthcare, and educational services.
This rapid adoption is supported by intensive research output. According to Times Higher Education, China currently produces more AI research than the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union combined. The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in the UK reports that nearly 58% of its AI-related academic papers now originate from Chinese researchers, a substantial increase from just 5% a decade ago. This surge in research is fuelled by strong policy support, including the State Council’s 2025 guidelines aiming for a 70% adoption rate of new-generation smart terminals and intelligent agents by 2027, and targeting over 90% by 2030.
China’s focus on embodied intelligence is also manifest in a growing venture capital environment, with Chinese companies securing 60% of more than 83 financing deals globally, totaling 14 billion yuan in investments, to develop AI-robotics integrations. Fifty industrial parks dedicated to embodied intelligence have already been established in major centres like Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Moreover, China holds 60% of the world’s AI-related patents, underscoring its leadership and innovative capacity.
Researchers like Liu Yu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences emphasize China’s advantage in having a complete industrial ecosystem, facilitating intensive industrial application and direct deployment of cutting-edge AI technologies, particularly in precision manufacturing, new energy vehicle production, and specialised equipment.
Amid these developments, China is pushing for technological self-reliance and openness in parallel. Notably, China Unicom has launched a $390 million data centre powered exclusively by domestically produced AI chips, with the facility currently operating at 3,579 petaflops and aiming to increase to 20,000 petaflops. However, recent government directives now require that AI chips used in state-funded data centres be domestically sourced, reflecting efforts to reduce dependency on foreign technology amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly with the United States. This has practical implications for data centres under development, which are mandated either to eliminate foreign AI chips or cancel their usage plans.
Yet openness remains a cornerstone of China’s AI strategy. The Global Computing Consortium’s new Open AI Infra initiative aims to foster collaboration and innovation through an open-source community for AI infrastructure. Experts like Heiko Schick from Huawei advocate for global adoption of open architectures and standards to drive future innovation and economic growth.
Looking beyond national borders, experts highlight the opportunity for international cooperation in AI development, especially between China and countries like the UK. Paulo Lopes, China Country Head for the IET, underscored potential joint efforts to align ethical AI practices, sustainability goals, and innovations in green technology. AI applications could optimize renewable energy systems, reduce carbon emissions, and support developing countries in disaster resilience and sustainable urban development, signifying a pathway toward balanced and responsible global AI integration.
For professionals engaged in industrial decarbonisation, China’s rapid expansion in AI computing power and industrial application signals new potential for integrating intelligent systems with green technology and sustainability initiatives. As AI-driven automation and embodied intelligence technologies mature, opportunities to enhance energy efficiency, precision manufacturing, and supply chain resilience are likely to multiply, shaping the future of industrial decarbonisation on a global scale. Understanding and monitoring China’s evolving AI landscape will be essential for stakeholders aiming to harness cutting-edge tools in their environmental and industrial strategies.
- https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/chinas-computing-capacity-projected-to-gro-2082025.html – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202508/1341622.shtml – This article discusses China’s rapid growth in intelligent computing power, highlighting that by June 2025, it reached 788 EFLOPS, marking a significant increase from 90 EFLOPS at the end of 2024. The article also notes that intelligent computing power accounted for 32% of China’s total computing capacity of 280 EFLOPS in 2024, indicating a substantial expansion in the sector.
- https://english.news.cn/20250217/3aa217e260d24515b7a3f66a5bb3a0da/c.html – This report highlights China’s projected rapid expansion in intelligent computing power, driven by the surging demand for large models and generative AI. It states that China’s intelligent computing power reached 725.3 EFLOPS in 2024, a 74.1% year-on-year increase, and is expected to rise further to 1,037.3 EFLOPS in 2025, 1,460.3 EFLOPS in 2026, and 2,781.9 EFLOPS in 2028.
- https://www.szzg.gov.cn/2025/english/digitalnews/202508/t20250804_5057236.htm – This article reports that China’s intelligent computing capacity reached 748 EFLOPS in the first quarter of 2025, accounting for 35% of the country’s total computing power. It also mentions that by 2025, China’s intelligent computing capacity is projected to rise to 1,037.3 EFLOPS, a year-on-year increase of over 40%, solidifying its position as a global leader.
- https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/china-spotlights-major-data-centre-project-using-domestic-chips-2025-09-17/ – This article discusses China Unicom’s construction of a $390 million data centre in Xining, Qinghai, powered entirely by domestically produced AI chips. The facility currently operates at 3,579 petaflops of computing power, with plans to reach 20,000 petaflops, reflecting China’s push for technological self-sufficiency amid escalating tensions with the U.S.
- https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-bans-foreign-ai-chips-state-funded-data-centres-sources-say-2025-11-05/ – This report reveals that China has introduced new guidance requiring that AI chips used in state-funded data centers be domestically produced. This directive affects data centers less than 30% completed, which must eliminate foreign chips or cancel plans to use them, reflecting China’s efforts to reduce reliance on foreign technology amid ongoing trade tensions.
- https://www.ciw.news/p/china-ai-server-forecast-2028 – This article discusses China’s rapid expansion in AI infrastructure, noting that the country’s AI compute capacity is projected to reach 2,781.9 EFLOPS by 2028. It highlights that 42% of Chinese enterprises are testing large models, with 17% already integrating them into production, driven by rapid enterprise adoption and real-world deployments.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative was published on November 11, 2025, and references the Global Computing Power Trends Report (2026) released last week at the Global Computing Conference in Shenzhen, China. The earliest known publication date of similar content is February 17, 2025, when Xinhua reported on China’s intelligent computing power maintaining rapid growth. ([english.news.cn](https://english.news.cn/20250217/3aa217e260d24515b7a3f66a5bb3a0da/c.html?utm_source=openai)) The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. However, the narrative includes updated data, such as China’s intelligent computing capacity reaching 725.3 EFLOPS in 2024, marking a 74.1% year-on-year increase, and projections indicating it will escalate to over 1,037 EFLOPS by the end of 2025. These updates may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The narrative does not appear to be republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes from Liu Zhihong, Council Member of the Global Computing Consortium (GCC), and Shao Guanglu, Executive Deputy Director of the Expert Advisory Committee of the Internet Society of China. The earliest known usage of these quotes is in the narrative itself, suggesting they are original or exclusive content. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, and no variations in quote wording were noted.
Source reliability
Score:
4
Notes:
The narrative originates from UrduPoint, which is not widely recognised as a reputable organisation. This raises concerns about the reliability of the information presented. The Global Computing Consortium (GCC) and the Internet Society of China are mentioned as sources, but their credibility cannot be fully verified based on the available information. The lack of a public presence or legitimate website for these entities makes it challenging to assess their authenticity. This uncertainty warrants caution.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative makes several claims, such as China’s intelligent computing capacity reaching 725.3 EFLOPS in 2024, a 74.1% year-on-year increase, and projections indicating it will escalate to over 1,037 EFLOPS by the end of 2025. These claims are consistent with information from other reputable outlets, such as the Global Times, which reported on China’s intelligent computing power growing over 40% in 2025. ([globaltimes.cn](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202508/1341622.shtml?utm_source=openai)) However, the lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets and the reliance on unverifiable sources raise concerns about the plausibility of the claims. The tone and language used in the narrative are consistent with typical corporate or official language. No excessive or off-topic detail unrelated to the claim was noted.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents updated data and original quotes, suggesting a high freshness and originality score. However, the reliance on unverifiable sources and the lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets raise significant concerns about the reliability and plausibility of the information presented. Given these issues, the overall assessment is a ‘FAIL’ with medium confidence.
