China’s Ministry of Commerce on Thursday unveiled a new guideline designed to accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence into the consumer economy, deploying 17 specific measures across five key areas to stimulate spending.
The announcement, reported by state media on June 18, is the newest piece in Beijing’s aggressive push to transform economic growth through AI. It follows the landmark 'AI Plus' initiative issued by the State Council in August 2025, which mandated the wide-ranging integration of AI across all major industries, and a three-year plan released just last week by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) to fuse AI with the information and communications technology sector.
According to the commerce ministry, the latest directive targets core consumption scenarios, from intelligent retail and next-generation smart homes to AI-powered tourism and digital entertainment. The plan outlines a roadmap for deploying recommendation algorithms, virtual shopping assistants, and personalized digital services to create new 'consumption hot spots' and boost demand.
The flurry of policymaking underscores the central role AI has taken in China’s economic strategy. The earlier MIIT blueprint aims to complete the deep integration of AI into the ICT sector by 2029, reflecting a broader national timetable to shift from investment-led growth to an economy driven by innovation and consumer spending.
With the new consumption plan, authorities are betting that AI can unlock fresh growth in a sluggish domestic market, turning everyday transactions into data-rich, highly engaging experiences that spur both online and offline activity.
