Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited a Shanghai pilot base where developers were testing artificial intelligence in industrial and specialized robots. He called for faster development of intelligent manufacturing and other emerging industries. The visit is a useful reminder that the AI competition extends beyond chatbots and chips: putting software to work on a factory floor is another part of the race. A site visit is evidence of policy attention, though its economic payoff will depend on what companies can actually build and sell.
What it means: Why test AI in a pilot facility before wider rollout? It lets developers check whether a system performs reliably in realistic tasks before companies commit to larger deployments.