AI making presence felt in China like never before

A pack of 10 robot dogs leaped, spun and waved in perfect harmony to a traditional dance song during China Media Group's 2025 Intangible Cultural Heritage Gala on Jan 31, wowing audiences with their synchronized moves.

The electrifying performance quickly ignited social media, where impressed users dubbed them "the most dedicated dance crew" and praised the fusion of cultural heritage and futuristic technology.

The dancing Lite3 models belong to the agile intelligent robot dog series developed by DEEP Robotics, based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Capable of carrying payloads up to 7.5 kilograms with a 5-kilometer operational range and continuous motion of up to two hours, these robots can perform complex maneuvers such as high jumps and front flips.

"Our proprietary joint modules, control systems and advanced algorithms enable unprecedented motion capabilities," said Lin Yi, the company's research and development manager. Users can develop additional training programs based on intelligent algorithms, including deep learning and reinforcement learning.

Artificial intelligence is entering Chinese households like never before, seamlessly integrating into both daily life and entertainment.

Dressed in colorful jackets, a group of humanoid robots were a highlight of this year's Spring Festival gala, broadcast on Chinese New Year's Eve. Sixteen robots danced the yangko, a traditional folk dance, alongside human performers. After the show, a "robot grandmother" was gently escorted offstage by dancers — a moment that quickly went viral on social media.

Meanwhile, with its vast knowledge, eloquent expression and playful wit, DeepSeek, an AI-powered chatbot, has captivated users of all ages.

"I felt powerful after having a good command of DeepSeek," said a retiree surnamed Ma, who downloaded the open-source tool following his son's recommendation.

Beyond virtual interactions, AI is increasingly present in daily life, enhancing real-world experiences. Whether at temple fairs or tourist attractions, AI is replacing servers and trainers, making candy figurines, playing games, carrying heavy loads, delivering goods and even assisting climbers.

This year's Spring Festival was a celebration of AI-driven surprises, with each innovation sparking excitement. Social media is buzzing with users sharing their favorite high-tech experiences, making this a uniquely futuristic Chinese New Year.

"Wow! No more video calls for New Year greetings!" said a tech worker surnamed Li, who uploaded a photo to the Baidu App, entered prompts like "firecrackers on Mars" and "dragon dance on the Forbidden City rooftop," and added a festive message. In just over a minute, AI created a digital greeting card, making the process effortless.

AI's mainstream success is driven by two key factors — practical application and strong technology. The key to widespread adoption is aligning technological advancements with real-world needs, according to Baidu chairman and CEO Robin Li.

"The success of AI is measured not by lab-based computing power, but by its impact on everyday users," Li said. "Advanced technologies must be integrated into daily life, making them accessible to all."

China's AI industry ecosystem spans chips, algorithms, data, platforms and applications. More than 4,500 companies are involved, with the core industry reaching a scale of nearly 600 billion yuan ($82.1 billion). In the past year alone, 238 new generative AI products have been registered.

Demand for large AI models continues to grow. On Feb 2, DeepSeek topped app markets in 140 regions, with daily active users exceeding 30 million. By last November, Baidu's ERNIE had reached over 1.5 billion daily calls, a 30-fold increase from the previous year, while ByteDance's Doubao saw daily token usage rise 33-fold by December 2024 after its launch in May 2024.

Omdia, a consultancy focused on the tech industry, forecasts that China's generative AI market will grow 5.5 times over the next five years.

Looking ahead, DeepSeek continues to expand its ecosystem, driving growth across the AI industry. Major cloud service providers, including Huawei Cloud, Tencent Cloud, Alibaba Cloud and Baidu AI Cloud, have integrated DeepSeek's large models into their platforms.

Xinhua