Wales in the UK is emerging as a new hub for artificial intelligence, while China's "AI+" initiative is ushering in a new era of intelligent economy.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping economic and social structures globally. In the UK, Wales, with its strong research foundation, rapidly growing digital infrastructure, and forward-thinking policies, is emerging as a significant force in the UK's AI strategy.
Meanwhile, China is also deeply advancing its "AI+" initiative, accelerating the deep integration of artificial intelligence with various sectors of the economy and society. From Wales' AI growth zones to China's intelligent economy blueprint, the global AI competitive landscape is being redrawn.01 Wales: An Emerging Force in the UK's AI StrategyThe British government recently announced the establishment of a new artificial intelligence growth zone in South Wales, the second in Wales and the fourth in the UK. This further solidifies Wales' important position in the UK's AI development strategy.The South Wales growth zone covers key areas along the UK's "M4 Technology Corridor" and has attracted billions of pounds in investment from US data center service provider Vantage Data Centres for the construction of a data center campus, as well as Microsoft's planned data center project in Newport. These major infrastructure projects are expected to create approximately 5,000 high-skilled jobs over the next ten years, providing strong support for Wales' participation in global AI competition.02 The Full Launch of China's "AI+" InitiativeWhile Wales strengthens its regional AI advantages, China is comprehensively advancing its national-level "AI+" strategy. The "Opinions on Deeply Implementing the 'AI+' Action" issued by the State Council clearly states that by 2030, the penetration rate of new-generation intelligent terminals and intelligent systems will exceed 90%, and the intelligent economy will become a significant growth engine for China's economic development.China has established a significant advantage in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Data shows that as of September 2025, China had over 5,300 AI companies, accounting for 15% of the global total, forming a complete industrial system covering basic infrastructure, model frameworks, and industry applications. In 2024, the scale of China's core AI industry exceeded 700 billion yuan, maintaining a growth rate of over 20% for several consecutive years.03 The Intelligent Economy: From Technological Transformation to a New Economic ParadigmArtificial intelligence is no longer just a technological innovation; it is driving a fundamental shift in the economic paradigm. The evolution from the information economy and the digital economy to the intelligent economy is an inevitable trend in the evolution of the technological and economic paradigm.The National Development and Reform Commission points out that China possesses abundant data resources, a complete industrial system, broad application scenarios, and a huge market space, providing unique advantages for the development of the intelligent economy. Currently, China has released 1,509 large language models, accounting for 40% of the global total. Among the 271 AI unicorn companies globally, 71 are from China.04 Industry Applications: AI Empowers Hundreds of IndustriesThe true value of artificial intelligence lies in its potential to empower various industries. Currently, China has released over 1,500 industry-specific large language models, covering 50 key industry sectors and more than 700 scenarios.In the manufacturing sector, artificial intelligence is driving intelligent upgrades across the entire process. Numerous robots have been deployed in production workshops, and intelligent systems have been integrated into production and operation processes such as steel blast furnace temperature control, textile inventory management, and retail warehousing and distribution. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology emphasizes the need to "promote the deployment of large language models in key manufacturing industries and accelerate the intelligent upgrading of the entire manufacturing process."In the consumer sector, consumer electronics are accelerating their intelligent development, with over 100 intelligent products such as AI-powered mobile phones and computers developed by Chinese manufacturers. As of the end of June 2025, China had accumulated 439 registered generative artificial intelligence services, a 2.8-fold increase compared to April 2024.05 Regional Development and Global CooperationIn the next decade, artificial intelligence will become the core battleground of global economic competition. From the M4 Technology Corridor in Wales to China's "Eastern Data, Western Computing" project, and from regional growth zones in the UK to national AI application pilot bases in China, countries are accelerating their AI development through different approaches. In this competition for the future, open cooperation and an innovative ecosystem are equally important. As exemplified by China's proposed "Inclusive Plan for AI Capability Building," the ultimate goal of AI development is to become an international public good that benefits all of humanity and promotes the global sharing of the dividends of intelligence.
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