South Korean media: Generative AI users in China surge by 141%, exceeding 600 million!
On March 7, South Korean media "Herald Economy" published an article stating that the number of generative artificial intelligence (AI) users in China has sharply increased, exceeding 600 million people. This means that more than four out of every ten Chinese people use generative AI in their daily lives or work.
According to the "57th Statistical Report on the Development of China's Internet" released by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), as of the end of last year, the number of generative AI users in China was 622 million. This is a staggering increase of 141.7% compared to the same period in 2024. During the same period, the penetration rate of generative AI also rose by 25.2 percentage points from the previous year, reaching 42.8%.
Some evaluations suggest that generative AI has rapidly integrated into daily life and production activities, becoming the core driving force behind China's intelligent transformation.
In fact, China's internet infrastructure has shown growth trends in both quantity and quality. According to estimates, as of the end of last year, China's internet user base reached 112.5 million, with a penetration rate exceeding 80%. Particularly, China has built 4.838 million 5G base stations, with 5G coverage available in all towns and 95% of administrative villages nationwide.
The report specifically pointed out that small and medium-sized enterprises are the main actors in strengthening the industrial ecosystem. Currently, there are over 60 million small and medium-sized enterprises in China, accounting for 99.9% of the total number of enterprises and 84.3% of employment.
According to the survey, there are about 6,000 strong small and medium-sized enterprises, known as "Little Giants," that lead innovation in cutting-edge fields such as quantum technology, AI, and low-altitude economy.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859004466699273/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.