Introduction

The 14th Five-Year Plan emphasizes enhancing digital and intelligent development levels, focusing on promoting deep integration between the real economy and digital economy. What new opportunities will “digital intelligence” bring?

Case Study: Intelligent Factory in Xuzhou

In an advanced intelligent factory in Xuzhou, a significant upgrade is underway. With over 50 cranes of nine models receiving international orders simultaneously, the production system is activated instantly.

Smart devices in the factory spring into action, having already planned the entire production process for the next 30 days. Each production line transforms according to the new configurations, refreshing in just 10 minutes.

Engineer Zhuo Feng explains that previously, changing models required 2-3 people and took five to six hours. The shift from digitalization to digital intelligence means that equipment can think, improving overall production efficiency by about 30%, allowing for customization in engineering machinery.

AI Integration in Production

What enables production equipment to think? In this factory, AI technology is utilized in 25 out of 38 scenarios across five key stages, involving 35 intelligent models. Researchers are using digital twins to remotely monitor production progress.

Moreover, a new crane welding model is under rapid development, integrating cutting-edge technologies like digital twins, 3D vision, and AI reverse modeling. This intelligent model, set to be operational by 2027, will revolutionize current production methods.

Opportunities from Intelligent Manufacturing

An intelligent factory can create numerous new opportunities. In this smart production line, 26 intelligent devices work in coordination; welding equipment features three robotic arms collaborating, with over ten data collection terminals analyzing data. With foundational computing power and AI chips, by 2030, such a production line is expected to drive investments exceeding 100 million yuan, while the entire factory’s digital transformation will attract over 1 billion yuan in new investments.

The New Space of Digital Transformation

Just one factory’s digital upgrade will exceed 1 billion yuan in new investments. The 14th Five-Year Plan aims for comprehensive advancement in digital technology empowerment, leading to significant industrial transformations and vast opportunities.

Currently, China is cultivating 15 leading intelligent factories across sectors like steel, petrochemicals, automotive, and electronics, which collectively boost over 1,300 upstream and downstream factories in collaborative upgrades. During the 14th Five-Year Plan, dozens more leading intelligent factories will be established.

According to Ao Li, Deputy Director of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, the 13th Five-Year Plan saw significant breakthroughs in intelligent factory construction. The focus of the 14th Five-Year Plan is to expand coverage and enhance quality, laying the foundation for broader intelligent manufacturing across various industrial categories. This period will be crucial for the accelerated popularization of digital intelligence in manufacturing.

Future Investments and Economic Growth

Driven by digital intelligence, the next five years will see a denser nationwide integrated computing network, with data infrastructure expected to attract direct investments of approximately 400 billion yuan annually. The intelligent industry will flourish, with sustained growth in demand for industrial software, sensors, controllers, robots, and CNC machine tools. The cloud computing market alone is projected to exceed 3 trillion yuan. By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the scale of AI-related industries is expected to grow to over 10 trillion yuan.

Transformative Changes in Production Methods

The shift from digitalization to digital intelligence will lead to profound changes and revolutionary leaps in production methods and productivity in China. By 2030, AI will foster more “0 to 1” discoveries, with digital upgrades covering all major industrial categories and over 50 cities achieving comprehensive digital transformation. The automotive industry will transform into intelligent terminals, with the smart connected vehicle industry projected to add 2.58 trillion yuan in value. The penetration rate of new intelligent terminals and agents will exceed 90%. More achievements in AI development will benefit all citizens, with digital transformation injecting strong innovative momentum into China’s economic development.

New Career Opportunities

With the advancement of digital intelligence, a surge in demand for new professions will accelerate, compelling traditional industries to upgrade their talent and fostering innovation in new skills and specialties.

At the Xuzhou Engineering Machinery Technician College, a new intelligent equipment program is attracting more young people. Student Yang Yuchi from the 25th Intelligent Equipment G1 class expresses his admiration for the AI-driven machinery he saw in the film “The Wandering Earth,” emphasizing the importance of learning new skills for better career choices.

Zhang Lina, the college’s principal, notes that six new programs have been established around the six major scenarios of leading factories, including intelligent manufacturing, intelligent operation, industrial robotics, and the Internet of Things. If their curriculum lags, they will surely fall behind the pace of industry development.

Vocational schools are keeping pace with the forefront of digital intelligence development, and more higher education institutions are actively engaging in this field. Currently, over 620 universities offer AI programs, and more than 360 have intelligent manufacturing engineering programs. Zhejiang University has introduced foundational AI courses for all undergraduates and offers specialized programs in smart communication, smart agriculture, brain-computer integration, and more.

Zhang Xinxin, a student in the intelligent manufacturing excellence program at Zhejiang University, shares her surprise at the rapid changes in the mechanical industry. Her major focuses on sensory integration, aiming to enable robots to assist with daily tasks. Their training program closely aligns with industry developments, yielding significant results for future technological applications.

Zhejiang University’s Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Wu Fei, mentions the launch of the “AI+X Micro Major 2.0” plan, with over 600 students from five universities in East China choosing this interdisciplinary path.

As digital intelligence accelerates, new career opportunities are rapidly emerging. Data shows a talent gap of approximately 4 million for AI-related positions, including large model algorithm engineers, robotic behavior trainers, and AI engineers, with demand in the intelligent manufacturing sector exceeding 10 million.