emirates7 - As of April 9, China has filed over 1.576 million artificial intelligence (AI) patent applications, representing 38.58% of the global total and ranking first worldwide, according to the latest figures.

Xu Shan, Deputy Director at the CAICT AI Institute's International Cooperation and Technical Service Department, stated in an interview with China Economic Net that China’s success in AI is driven by a strong domestic innovation network combined with active international cooperation.

The country has developed more than 400 national-level specialized “little giant” enterprises in the AI sector. These are innovation-oriented small and medium-sized companies with proprietary technologies in niche but high-potential areas, accounting for roughly 10% of the global AI industry.

China has also built a complete AI industry framework, covering foundational technology, infrastructure, models, and applications.

In 2024, the size of China’s AI industry exceeded 700 billion yuan, with annual growth consistently surpassing 20% in recent years. It is projected to top 1 trillion yuan in 2025 and expand to 1.7 trillion yuan by 2035, growing at a compound annual rate of 15.6%.