GUANGZHOU, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) – Several local governments in China recently established artificial intelligence (AI) development bureaus, specialized agencies to coordinate and promote AI development, accelerating the formation of new business forms in the intelligent economy.
On Sunday, an AI development bureau was launched in Haizhu District, Guangzhou, the capital of southern China's Guangdong province. It is China's first local-level government department to be independently established as a functional organization dedicated to AI development.
“Establishing the bureau and staffing it with dedicated personnel will help address potential challenges in the AI industry, such as fragmented management, dispersed resources, and lack of strategic coordination,” said Yu Lihui, head of the newly established bureau.
Yu said the bureau will actively plan the integration of cutting-edge AI technology and strive to attract and cultivate leading enterprises and professional and innovative enterprises that have mastered core technologies. Furthermore, considering the important role of scenario innovation in industrial and technological progress, the district plans to introduce high-value application scenarios in fields such as fashion design, low-altitude economy, and intelligent connected cars.
Haizhu District has a solid foundation for AI development. One of the three major AI industry clusters planned by the Guangdong provincial government, Banzhou is located within Haizhu city.
The district has attracted approximately 8,000 AI-related companies and launched more than 200 large-scale AI model and algorithm projects, driving rapid growth in the district's next-generation information technology services for three consecutive years.
ZJTECH, a leading internet platform for the textile and apparel industry, is actively developing AI applications for the Haizhu sector and promoting digitalization within the supply chain. Customers can now accurately match fabrics from thousands of categories in less than two minutes, and use AI models to generate fashion designs that meet market demands in one click.
Huanan Brain Computer Interface Technology Co., Ltd., also based in Haizhu, has developed a brain computer AI mouse that allows paralyzed patients to control a virtual mouse without using their hands. This technology allows people to watch short videos or use a computer tablet.
On Sunday, Haizhu also announced the Washizhou Space Intelligent Computing Center plan, and the first phase of the center will establish a 100 petaflops-scale computing cluster that will provide the foundation for enterprise innovation and research and development.
Space computing is a technological innovation that deploys computing power to satellites in orbit, enabling data processing and collaborative computing through the satellites and onboard intelligent hardware.
“The establishment of the Haizhu AI Development Bureau underlines the government's commitment to the AI industry. The new Bureau is expected to explore innovative solutions in industrial ecosystem development and institutional reform,” said Zhang Yaqin, founding dean of Tsinghua University AI Industry Research Institute.
The Chinese government places great importance on AI development. In August 2025, the State Council released a document on the deep implementation of the “AI Plus” initiative, outlining a plan for China to lead the deep integration of AI with six key areas by 2027. By 2030, AI will fully enhance China's high-quality development, and the adoption rate of new generation intelligent terminals and other AI-driven applications is expected to exceed 90 percent.
Local governments are also capitalizing on these opportunities, launching dedicated AI departments to foster industry growth. For example, Wenzhou city in Zhejiang province led the establishment of a municipal AI bureau in September 2025. The department is responsible for developing and implementing the city's AI development plan and coordinating the construction of city-wide infrastructure related to computing power, data, and algorithms.
On December 9th, the City AI Development Bureau was established in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province. The city is vigorously pursuing its “Cloud Intelligent City” strategy, and the new bureau will work closely with AI companies to develop high-value application scenarios and plan policies that support intelligent transformation across all sectors.
Qiu Weiming, deputy secretary-general of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association, said local government AI specialized bureaus can coordinate and integrate resources, implement AI development policies, foster the AI industry ecosystem, and promote sustainable industry growth.
Additionally, as an emerging field, AI faces challenges around safety, ethics, and privacy. Establishing a specialized secretariat will help address these issues and ensure steady and sustainable development of the industry, Qiu added. ■
