The rise of AI in China: a 2024 snapshot

While much of the Western focus on mobile AI centers around developments from Apple and Google, a vibrant and rapidly evolving AI landscape has been blossoming in China throughout 2024, largely independent of Apple's walled garden.

For Chinese smartphone users, AI isn't a future promise but a present reality. Domestic brands, which dominate the Chinese market with significantly higher market share than Apple's sub-20 percent presence, have already integrated a wide array of AI-powered features into their devices.

The AI functionalities range from practical photo editing tools, such as AI-powered background removal and content filling, to AI writing assistants that craft polished social media posts and auto-transcription services that convert audio recordings into editable text. These features are not niche novelties but standard offerings in the mainstream Chinese mobile experience.

In 2024, the Cyberspace Administration of China registered 210 generative AI services, a substantial increase from the 62 registered in 2023. Many of these services are directly integrated into popular smartphones, powering virtual assistants like Honor's YOYO, Xiaomi's Xiaoai and Oppo's AndesGPT.

Many mobile apps have also incorporated AI capabilities. E-commerce giant Taobao offers AI-driven shopping experiences through its "Xingchen" model, ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing leverages AI to optimize routes and enhance user experience, and workplace collaboration tool DingTalk provides AI-powered assistants to streamline workflows. These diverse applications demonstrate the pervasive integration of AI into everyday life in China.

Furthermore, 2024 witnessed the rise of specialized, industry-focused AI models addressing specific needs in sectors like education, healthcare, logistics, telecommunications and security.

Government support has played a pivotal role in China's rapid AI advancement. The "AI+" initiative, highlighted in the 2024 government work report in May and mentioned again during December's Central Economic Work Conference, emphasizes the integration of AI into various industries to accelerate economic growth.

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