China’s Shenzhen targets AI in ‘every household’ as US tech rivalry heats up
Local officials want to embed cutting-edge tech across society in coming five-year plan
The local government announced the goal on Monday in a new policy paper on Shenzhen’s 15th five-year plan, the socio-economic blueprint covering the years 2026 to 2030. The document outlined the city’s ambition to become one of the world’s most technologically advanced by 2035, serving as a model for how megacities might support China’s broader development objectives.
“The goal is for AI to reach every household while empowering all walks of life and industries,” according to the paper issued by the Communist Party’s Shenzhen municipal committee, which called for an “AI+” strategy spanning public services and commercial applications.
Analysts said Shenzhen would become a critical testing ground for Beijing’s national AI strategy, as the cutting-edge technology opens a new front in US-China competition.
Dai Mingjie, a senior researcher at the South China University of Technology’s Institute of Public Policy, argued that the city’s plans for the next five to 10 years carry nationwide significance.
“Shenzhen’s AI policy statement is a detailed implementation plan of national goals and signals a shift from focusing on pure tech advancement and supremacy, where the US still dominates, to a much broader spectrum, including manufacturing, varied applications and commercialisation, where China commands a clear advantage,” Dai said.