SHANGHAI: In light of factors such as its explosive growth in artificial intelligence (AI) at an industrial scale and the fact that Shanghai is home to approximately a third of Chinese AI professionals, the city is rapidly establishing itself as a hub for AI, particularly in the integration of AI with manufacturing, says a recent report.
As of Dec 24, a total of 139 large AI models had completed registration in Shanghai.
The city is also home to nearly 300,000 AI professionals – representing roughly one-third of the nation’s total talent pool, said the report, which was released at a conference in Shanghai.
Shanghai’s AI sector is seeing explosive growth.
According to the report, in the first nine months of 2025, the combined output of the city’s 394 AI enterprises above designated size – defined as those with annual revenue of 20 million yuan or more – hit 435.49 billion yuan, surging 39.6% year-on-year.
Over the same period, these firms’ aggregated profits rose 11.4% year-on-year to reach 40.78 billion yuan.
Concluding with the construction progress of Shanghai’s modern industrial system, the report focuses on policy deployment, application scenarios with technological breakthroughs, and ecosystem development, said Wu Xiaodong, vice-president of the Shanghai Industrial Internet Association.
“Through systematically reviewing Shanghai’s practical experience and implementation models in AI manufacturing, the white paper analyses opportunities and challenges,” Wu said. — China Daily/ANN
