In Episode 22, Ava and Max explore China’s sweeping new roadmap to become a fully AI-powered economy by 2035. As revealed by China’s State Council, this ten-year national strategy includes the phased rollout of AI across all major pillars of society, including science, industry, public services, and governance. This plan co-insides with China Launching Underwater AI-Powered Data Center, which we discussed on an earlier episode (18).
By 2027, China plans to have Artificial Intelligence integrated into 70% of these core sectors. By 2030, that number rises to 90%, with AI positioned as a new form of national infrastructure—comparable to electricity or the internet. And by 2035, the goal is an economy where AI is the central operating system of the entire country.
The podcast examines the boldness of this vision, alongside its massive complexity. Ava and Max highlight China’s “AI+” campaign which focuses on boosting data infrastructure, model performance, compute capabilities, and AI security. Cities like Shenzhen are already seeing early deployments of humanoid robots and autonomous systems—real-world signs of AI in action.
But with scale comes risk. The hosts unpack challenges such as over-centralization, potential inefficiencies, and China’s growing tension with Western nations over semiconductor restrictions. While the country moves quickly, its reliance on foreign chipmakers and uneven development between regions could slow or fragment deployment.
Ava and Max also touch on the broader economic implications, including projected boosts to China’s GDP growth, the possibility of widespread job displacement, and what this centralized approach might signal for the global future of AI.
Ultimately, this episode offers a timely, well-rounded look at what may become the world’s first AI-operated society—and whether this is the blueprint of the future, or a bold experiment still full of unanswered questions.