On May 22, during the press briefing of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in May, a journalist asked: "What specific policies will the NDRC introduce in terms of AI infrastructure and industry applications?" Li Chao, spokesperson for the NDRC, stated that the commission is working with relevant departments to accelerate the promotion of artificial intelligence empowering various industries. The national AI application pilot base has already incubated "Ant Afu," a health AI application, in the medical field, which has been implemented in medical institutions across multiple provinces and cities, allowing residents to enjoy intelligent services.
Currently, core technologies in the field of artificial intelligence and application demands are showing rapid growth. Li Chao stated that the NDRC has always adhered to systematic planning, sector-specific strategies, open sharing, and safe control, promoting the deep integration of artificial intelligence with all industries and fields of economic and social development, so that all people can share the achievements of AI development. This is a prominent feature of China's AI development.
At present, the NDRC has issued policy documents on "AI+" in more than ten industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and energy, continuously improving the policy system; at the same time, it has laid out a number of national AI application pilot bases in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation in collaboration with relevant departments, continuously improving elements such as computing power, data, and scenarios, and accelerating the promotion of AI empowering various industries and fields.
Li Chao mentioned that the National AI Application Pilot Base (Healthcare) in Zhejiang has incubated the "Ant Afu" application, providing intelligent services such as medical assistance, auxiliary diagnosis, and family doctor follow-ups. It has been implemented in medical institutions in more than 10 provinces and cities, enabling more residents to enjoy smart, high-quality, and convenient services. Li Chao also pointed out that in the future, the NDRC will focus on creating benchmark AI applications for various industries and regions.
With the continuous advancement of the "Healthy China" policy, public demand for health services is increasingly growing. According to public information, the health AI application "Ant Afu" exceeded 100 million users within a year of its launch, answering over 10 million health-related inquiries daily. Data shows that 55% of Ant Afu's users come from third-tier and lower cities, demonstrating the potential and value of AI technology in expanding the scope and depth of professional medical and health services.