China sets AI integration targets for communications networks

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has released a three-year plan to accelerate the integration of AI with the country’s information and communications sector.

The implementation guideline, covering 2026 to 2028, sets targets for more autonomous networks, wider low-latency access to computing power and expanded AI applications. By 2028, China aims for information and communications networks to reach an initial stage of high-level autonomous intelligence.

The plan also calls for more than 30 high-value use cases, specialised intelligent agents and at least 75% coverage of one-millisecond-latency access to computing power in metropolitan areas.

MIIT identified several research priorities, including AI-driven network architectures, collaboration between large and small AI models, multi-agent systems and intelligent agent communications. It also calls for faster construction of major computing power channels and improved network resource scheduling.

Looking beyond the three years, China aims to make significant breakthroughs in core technologies for integrating AI with information and communications networks by 2030. The ministry said the longer-term goal is to strengthen integrated sensing, communications, computing and intelligence capabilities, while building a broader collaborative innovation and industrial ecosystem.

Why does it matter?

The plan shows China treating AI as part of the core architecture of future communications networks, not only as an application layer. The targets link AI, telecommunications, computing power and sensing infrastructure, which could shape how autonomous networks, industrial AI, smart cities and future digital services are deployed. It also reflects China’s broader push to align AI development with national digital infrastructure and industrial upgrading.

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