The State Council, China's cabinet, has issued a plan for artificial intelligence (AI) development, setting the target of China becoming a major center for AI innovation and leading the world in AI technology and applications by 2030.

The plan said China firstly aims to keep pace with the leading countries in AI technology and applications in general by 2020.

The AI industry will serve as a new major economic growth engine and help improve people's lives by that time, and then the country will look to major breakthroughs in AI theoretical research and progress in intelligent society building by 2025.

The plan specified goals for AI development including creating an open and coordinated system for AI sci-tech innovation, fostering a high-end intelligent economy, building a safe and convenient society, as well as the upgrading of infrastructure for Internet, big data and computers.

Government finance and the market will play their roles in supporting the AI industry while social capital is encouraged to help develop the industry, according to the plan.