Chinese firms go all-out in AI implementation

Chinese enterprises are doubling down on investment and implementation of the fast-evolving artificial intelligence technology to boost operational efficiency and remain competitive despite facing potential headwinds, according to a new report by global consultancy Accenture.

The report said 87 percent of surveyed Chinese executives plan to increase AI investments this year, with 18 percent already redesigning end-to-end processes around AI. Furthermore, 68 percent of interviewed business leaders view AI primarily as a driver of revenue growth rather than a means to cut costs.

Currently, 72 percent of Chinese company executives feel that their AI implementation is going faster than expected, while the top three reasons to drive increased AI investment being rapid advancements in AI capabilities and tools, greater confidence in managing AI-related risks, and maintaining or strengthening competitive position on their missions, the report noted.

However, with executives prioritizing AI deployment over talent upskilling, a potential gap between organizations' technological capabilities and workforce readiness is taking shape.

Nearly half of the surveyed Chinese business leaders deem that they have seen the greatest productivity enhancement in terms of technology due to AI investment, while only 22 percent say the most significant improvements have occurred in human resources.

The research surveyed 3,000 company executives and 3,000 employees across 22 industries and 18 countries between May and June.

The report said AI agents are emerging as a mainstream focus for corporate investment as around 60 percent of Chinese enterprises have begun to invest in AI agents and will continue to do so throughout 2025. While 31 percent of the surveyed enterprises are piloting AI agents in a specific function or department, 23 percent are actively deploying agents across multiple functions.

AI agents have gained worldwide attention and witnessed explosive growth this year.

The term refers to a system or program that is capable of autonomously performing tasks on behalf of a user or another system by designing its workflow and utilizing available tools.

AI agents are more advanced than chatbots because they not only provide suggestions or answers, but autonomously execute complex actions across a multitude of industries, delivering tangible results.

The research showed that more than 60 percent of the surveyed Chinese employees claim to be regularly working with AI agents, the highest in the world, and only 8 percent said they have heard of AI agents but have not used them. When looking for support, 62 percent of employees now turn to AI tools over a human colleague.

Although 38 percent of Chinese business leaders claim that they are actively preparing their workforce for the changes AI agents will bring, including through reskilling and role redesign, only 32 percent have clearly communicated with employees about how AI agents will impact the workforce.

Samantha Zhu, chairperson of Accenture Greater China, said, "The recent wave of AI innovation, led by open-sourced large language models, is so encouraging that companies are quickly mobilizing themselves to harness such technologies."

She underscored that China is emerging as "an innovation-driven economy", with breakthroughs in areas like AI, robotics, renewable energy and electric vehicles showcasing the country's growing capability in critical technologies that underpin long-term competitiveness.

"Looking at the vibrant AI ecosystem, we can say that China is not just an AI market, it's a proving ground for AI adoption by enterprises at scale," she said, adding that there is a strong momentum in AI-driven transformation, with businesses quickly integrating AI into decision-making, operations and customer engagement.

Pan Helin, a member of the Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy, which is part of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said the rapid adoption of digital technologies represented by AI will inject fresh impetus into the country's economic growth and speed up the digital and intelligent upgrade of traditional industries.

He noted that generative AI is increasingly perceived as a key driver to build resilient supply chains and help companies adapt more quickly to sudden changes and take data-driven and real-time actions.

fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn