Shenzhen’s AI industry accounts for more than 40 per cent of Guangdong’s output, but Beijing still reigns with AI output worth US$34.9 billion.
The artificial intelligence (AI) industry in China’s southern Guangdong province grew to 180 billion yuan (US$25 billion) in 2023, according to state media, as the country’s manufacturing hub plays catch-up with Beijing and Shanghai in the highly competitive space.
Much of the AI output growth is being driving by Shenzhen, the technology hub that borders Hong Kong, which contributed 80 billion yuan, or 44 per cent, of that valuation, according to a report by the state-backed Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, which the Shenzhen government republished on its website on Sunday.
There were about 489,000 AI-related companies in Guangdong last year, including more than 1,200 publicly traded enterprises, according to the report, citing data from the provincial department of industry and information technology.
The size of Guangdong’s AI industry still lags behind Beijing’s and Shanghai’s. China’s capital and its finance hub have more robust start-up ecosystems.
