AsianFin — Speaking at the China Artificial Intelligence Innovation Conference in Wuhan, Innovation Works Chairman Kai-Fu Lee said the country is on the cusp of a global breakthrough in AI-first applications.

With major advances in foundation model technology and declining costs, Lee noted that AI is rapidly shifting from a lab-based science to a productivity tool. Chinese model developers are increasingly focused on integrating AI with real-world industry use cases, driving a broader wave of intelligent transformation across the real economy.

According to Lee, China’s AI-first applications are expected to emerge rapidly this year and may soon rank among the world’s most advanced.