Recently, eight pivotal departments, among which are the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Cyberspace Administration of China, have jointly released the Implementation Guidelines for the Special Initiative on 'Artificial Intelligence + Manufacturing'. This strategic move aims to expedite the seamless integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within the manufacturing sector, nurture high-quality productive forces, and comprehensively propel the new paradigm of industrialization. By 2027, China envisions securing a dependable and robust supply of core AI technologies, positioning its industrial scale and empowerment capabilities at the forefront globally.

Specific objectives encompass fostering the profound application of 3-5 versatile large-scale AI models in manufacturing, developing specialized large-scale models tailored to specific industries, introducing 1,000 high-caliber industrial intelligent agents, creating 100 premium industrial datasets, promoting 500 exemplary application scenarios, nurturing 2-3 ecologically dominant enterprises with a global footprint alongside a cadre of specialized and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises, selecting and establishing 1,000 benchmark enterprises, constructing a globally preeminent open-source ecosystem, and bolstering safety governance capabilities.

To realize these ambitious goals, the guidelines delineate seven pivotal tasks: strengthening the innovation foundation, facilitating intelligence empowerment and upgrading, achieving product breakthroughs, fostering entity cultivation, expanding the ecosystem, ensuring safety, and fostering international cooperation. These tasks are underpinned by a comprehensive framework of 21 specific measures.