Registered users of large generative AI models in China exceed 600 million, data shows

A staff member demonstrates a gesture-controlled robot during the 2024 World AI Conference in Shanghai, east China, July 4, 2024. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaoyong)

Up to now, the registered users of the large generative AI models in China have surpassed 600 million, the latest data released from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed. Observers said on Sunday that the technology has become an "engine" to drive industrial transformation.

"The scale of China's core AI industry continues to expand, with the number of enterprises exceeding 4,500. More than 200 generative AI service large models have been registered and launched to provide services to the public, serving more than 600 million users," Zhao Zhiguo, the Chief Engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said, according to Xinhua News Agency on Sunday.

Previously, we often used the number of internet users and mobile internet users as indicators of internet usage. Today, the number of registered users of large AI models is now a new benchmark, Li Baiyang, an associate professor of intelligence studies with Nanjing University, told the Global Times.

As of October 2024, China's AI industry has taken a leading position in both open-source and closed-source large models, which has consistently topped global large model evaluation rankings, Li said.

The technology is rapidly being integrated with other strategic emerging industries, namely, the application of AI in industrial production, AI-powered humanoid robots, and end-to-end AI-powered products including smartphones, computers, and automobiles, the observer added.

Multiple factors have contributed to the growth of the industry, including accelerated technological innovation, as well as booming market demand, especially in areas of manufacturing, finance, and healthcare, industry observers said.

"The transformation and modernization across all sectors are unfolding rapidly," Li said.

Some industry observers described the country's AI industry as having evolved from a "trendy topic" into a "combustion engine" to drive industrial transformation and modernization and the construction of a modern industrial system.

Meanwhile, Chinese companies such as MiniMax, ByteDance, and Beijing-based 01.AI have launched AI applications internationally to boost their revenue growth.

Chinese enterprises are going out and exploring the international market, which is a necessary step for global AI development. The industry has a vast amount of training data, allowing more models to more easily develop on this foundation and makes AI application more feasible, Liu Wei, Director of the human-machine interaction and cognitive engineering laboratory with the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, told the Global Times on Sunday.

As one of the pioneers in the field of AI, China has been infusing Eastern wisdom into global governance through practical actions, showcasing its vision and responsibility as a major country. The Chinese approach and Eastern wisdom are crucial to managing future AI development, Liu also noted.