At its September press conference, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) provided updates on macroeconomic policy implementation, financing instruments and measures to support the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI). The briefing highlighted efforts to accelerate investment, promote technology deployment and reduce barriers for private enterprises participating in the “Artificial Intelligence +” initiative.
500 Billion Yuan in Financial Policy Instruments Allocated to Project Capital
The NDRC confirmed that the scale of newly introduced policy financial instruments totals 500 billion yuan. All funds will be directed toward supplementing project capital rather than debt financing. The Commission is working with relevant agencies to channel the resources into specific projects and has instructed local governments to expedite construction starts to form tangible investment output as early as possible. The objective is to support effective investment expansion and stabilize overall economic activity.
The NDRC stated it will continue to strengthen macro policy implementation, enhance economic monitoring and early-warning mechanisms, and prepare policy reserves based on evolving conditions. Officials expressed confidence that combined policy effects will support the fulfillment of annual economic objectives.
Promoting Adoption of Intelligent Terminals and AI Agents
To accelerate deployment of next-generation intelligent terminals and AI agents, the NDRC outlined actions in three areas. First, it plans to establish a clearer policy framework that balances innovation with security and regulatory compliance. This includes issuing guiding documents, clarifying application and governance requirements, and formulating standards for technology reliability, interoperability and industry use. A user-focused evaluation system will be introduced to help high-quality products and service providers gain market recognition.
Second, collaborative research between AI companies and leading enterprises in various industries will be supported to test technologies across different scenarios. The Commission intends to advance the construction of open-source platforms led by major firms, universities and research institutes to enable joint development, data sharing and scalable innovation.
Third, measures will be taken to stimulate both supply and demand. On the supply side, pilot demonstrations will be encouraged in key fields such as education, healthcare, elderly care and mobility, with successful cases to be promoted nationally. On the demand side, authorities will leverage China’s large domestic market to open industry application scenarios, explore new subsidy mechanisms and accelerate integration of intelligent terminals into consumer and industrial environments.
Reducing Barriers for Private Enterprises in AI Development
The NDRC acknowledged that many private enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized ones, face obstacles such as insufficient access to computing resources, difficulties in obtaining usable datasets and high technical thresholds. To address these challenges, the “Opinions on the In-depth Implementation of the ‘Artificial Intelligence +’ Action” sets out measures across infrastructure, data and technology.
For computing power constraints, the policy encourages innovative operation models for intelligent computing infrastructure and the development of standardized cloud-based services to lower access costs. To improve data availability, it calls for the compliant release of publicly funded copyright content and proposes mechanisms for data cost compensation and revenue sharing to clarify property rights and incentivize participation. To reduce technical barriers, the policy promotes open-source development models, introduces contribution-based evaluation mechanisms and encourages collaboration among enterprises, academic institutions and research bodies.
In addition, national-level application bases will be established to provide shared services for computing power, datasets, models and pilot testing. These platforms aim to support cross-enterprise cooperation and supply–demand matchmaking.
Expanded Participation Mechanisms for Private Sector
Policy measures will also be introduced to increase private sector involvement in AI-related projects. In terms of policy support, private enterprises will gain access to construction initiatives related to computing power, large-scale models and data resources. State-owned enterprises will be encouraged to open strategic application scenarios with strong economic or social relevance to private companies.
Financial support will be provided through instruments such as “AI vouchers,” which subsidize computing power usage and research activities. Private enterprises will also be able to participate in the construction of major AI pilot projects, with the aim of developing replicable and scalable application cases.
Conclusion
The NDRC’s latest briefing signals a coordinated approach to economic stabilization and technological advancement, combining targeted investment tools with structural support for innovative ecosystems. The emphasis on standardized policy frameworks, shared infrastructure and open collaboration reflects a policy direction focused on accelerating practical deployment rather than solely driving research breakthroughs.