Advance AI to spur economy, Xi urges

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Wednesday called for stepping up efforts to develop the new generation of artificial intelligence technology to inject a fresh driving force into the country’s high-quality economic growth.

Xi, also president, made the call while presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on the development of AI.

Xi stressed that China is in urgent need of major technological innovation such as the new generation of AI as its economy has been transitioning from rapid growth to high-quality development — a pivotal stage for changing the economic growth model, improving economic structure and fostering new growth drivers.

AI should play an important role in the reform for better quality, higher efficiency and more robust drivers of growth, Xi said.

He called for reforms of various industries by taking advantage of AI technologies and fostering new growth areas and drivers of growth in medium to high-end consumption, innovation-driven growth, the green and low-carbon economy, sharing economy, modern supply chains and human capital services.

Xi hailed AI as a key driving force for a new round of technological revolution and industrial reform.

Highlighting the significance of speeding up AI development, Xi said more solid and coordinated efforts should be made to promote integration of the technology with socioeconomic growth, and advance healthy development of the new generation of AI.

AI is emerging as an important factor to profoundly influence economic growth, social progress and the international political and economic landscape, he said.

In developing AI technologies, Xi said, the emphasis should be on strengthening innovations and creativity, and the main direction for all-out efforts should be having a good command of key core technologies.

He called for more input in theoretical research in AI development to ensure the country takes the lead in the field and commands cuttingedge technologies.

Application of AI technologies to socio-economic development should be intensified to advance the industrialization of the technologies so as to create good momentum for the integration of technological innovations with industrial applications, Xi said.

Xi stressed cultivating professionals in AI development, and said more forceful measures should be taken to develop high-level talent in the field.