The number of generative artificial intelligence users in our country has increased by 141.7% compared to the end of 2024, with a penetration rate of 42.8%

The 57th “China Internet Development Status Statistical Report” was released today. The report shows that by December 2025, the number of internet users in China will reach 1.125 billion, with an internet penetration rate surpassing 80%, and digital development achievements benefiting a broader population. The vigorous development of China’s internet industry not only delivers an impressive report card for the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan but also lays a solid foundation for the layout of the 15th Five-Year Plan.

During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, China’s internet development is moving towards “new” and “better”

According to the report, China’s digital economy continues to grow steadily, with the added value of core industries increasing their share of GDP to 10.5%, and the pace of industrial digital transformation accelerating across the board. The user scale of generative artificial intelligence has reached 602 million, with application scenarios deeply penetrating daily life and production fields.

During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, China’s internet industry adheres to innovation-led development, building a new system of coordinated growth based on new infrastructure, new technologies, and new entities. New infrastructure has been proactively deployed to solidify the digital foundation.

In terms of mobile networks, 4.838 million 5G base stations have been built, all towns and 95% of administrative villages nationwide have access to 5G, and 5G evolution networks now cover over 330 cities.

In fixed networks, two-thirds of cities meet the gigabit standard.

In terms of computing power facilities, 42 large-scale intelligent computing clusters have been established, ranking among the top globally, strongly supporting the rapid development of China’s artificial intelligence industry.

The report indicates that, by December 2025, the user scale of generative artificial intelligence will reach 602 million, a 141.7% increase compared to the end of 2024; the adoption rate will reach 42.8%, a significant increase of 25.2 percentage points year-on-year. Generative AI is accelerating its integration into daily life and production, becoming a key engine for promoting social digitalization and intelligent transformation.

China’s internet penetration rate exceeds 80%, with rural and elderly populations rapidly integrating into the digital society, significantly enhancing digital inclusiveness. Digital technology is deeply integrated with the real economy and public services, driving digital reforms in government affairs, healthcare, education, and other fields. The nationwide integrated government service platform has 940 million users, making “efficiently handling one matter” the norm, demonstrating that internet development serves and cares for the people with a service-oriented approach.

“AI+” empowers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enable cultural industry globalization

The “China Internet Development Status Statistical Report” shows that currently, China has over 60 million SMEs, with more than 17,600 “little giant” enterprises that are specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative. Industry distribution indicates that over 60% of these “little giant” enterprises are deeply involved in industrial fundamentals, with nearly 6,000 in future industries such as quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and low-altitude economy, playing an important role in strengthening and stabilizing supply chains.

In the “AI+” initiative, artificial intelligence is a transformative tool for SMEs, precisely addressing their pain points of “difficult R&D, high costs, and low efficiency.” For example, a new energy company uses industrial visual inspection large models to reduce defect rates on new energy battery production lines from 0.3% to 0.05%. For specialized and innovative SMEs, AI helps them break through technical barriers in niche fields, seize market opportunities, and evolve from “small and refined” to “small but strong.”

As the main force, SMEs are the practitioners of AI implementation in the final mile. The report shows that in the first quarter of 2025 alone, 254,000 new SMEs specializing in AI software R&D were established. SMEs focus on vertical industry large models, industrial intelligent agents, and other niche areas, becoming a vital force for technological innovation. They build a healthy ecosystem of large, medium, and small enterprises working together, allowing AI to truly penetrate the “capillaries” of the real economy.

Moreover, under the deep empowerment of new technologies like AI, China’s industry is entering a turning point from scale growth to value leap, not only exporting “Made in China” but also contributing “Chinese solutions” to the world.

In terms of cultural influence, AI technology breaks language and cultural barriers, enabling Chinese culture to be synchronized globally in real-time:

On one hand, AI automatic translation and other technologies help cultural products achieve “minute-level” internationalization, allowing online literature and micro-short dramas to quickly synchronize worldwide and seize early market advantages overseas.

On the other hand, AI empowers the entire industry chain to rapidly transform high-quality IP into diverse forms such as animations, short dramas, and games, making Chinese culture more vibrant and communicative, forming a global dissemination ecosystem of “one IP, multiple forms, one culture, multiple carriers.”

(Source: CCTV News)