Wedoany.com Report on Mar 14th, Eight Chinese ministries and commissions, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, recently jointly released the "Implementation Opinions on the Special Action for 'AI + Manufacturing'." The document sets goals for the deep integration of artificial intelligence and manufacturing by 2027, charting a development path for the intelligent equipment manufacturing industry focused on technological self-reliance, scenario implementation, and ecosystem improvement. As a key carrier for the intelligent transformation of manufacturing, intelligent equipment is leveraging AI technology to leap from automation to intelligence, becoming a vital force driving the development of new quality productive forces.

Data shows that in 2024, China's intelligent equipment manufacturing industry reached a market size of 3.6 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12.5%, which is 1.7 times that of 2020. In the first three quarters of 2025, the added value of equipment manufacturing enterprises above designated size grew by 9.7% year-on-year, accounting for 35.9% of the total. This proportion has exceeded 30% for 31 consecutive months, demonstrating strong growth momentum. The industrial robot market continues to lead, with sales reaching 302,000 units in 2024, maintaining its position as the world's largest market for 12 consecutive years. AI technology has already been applied in areas such as precise equipment control and fault diagnosis. However, the industry as a whole is still in a transitional phase from automation to intelligence, with integration mostly concentrated in single segments, and full-process empowerment yet to become widespread.

Policy support is shifting from framework guidance to precise implementation. The special action plan by the eight ministries clearly defines core quantitative targets for 2027, including promoting the implementation of 3-5 general-purpose large models in manufacturing and promoting 500 typical application scenarios. These measurable indicators aim to facilitate task execution. The policy also focuses on breakthroughs in core technologies such as intelligent chips and industrial algorithms, aiming to overcome reliance on high-end foreign technologies. It simultaneously addresses ecosystem building and security governance, providing safeguards for the industry's healthy development.

The industry faces four major barriers: reliance on imports for high-end core technologies like sensors and AI chips; insufficient depth in the integration of AI and equipment, with most applications remaining superficial; high barriers to transformation for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) due to funding and talent shortages; and an incomplete industrial ecosystem, with prominent issues like data silos and lack of unified standards. These factors constrain the deep integration of AI + manufacturing and require targeted breakthroughs to unleash its enabling value.

In the future, the intelligent equipment manufacturing industry will undergo upgrades empowered by AI. It is projected that by 2027, the localization rate for high-end servo motors will exceed 80%, and for harmonic reducers, it will surpass 70%, accelerating the pace of core technology self-reliance. AI integration will extend from single segments to the entire lifecycle, including R&D, design, and production, driving equipment towards autonomous decision-making upgrades. Policies will introduce supportive measures to lower the transformation threshold for SMEs and establish data-sharing mechanisms and unified standard systems to improve the industrial ecosystem. The intelligent equipment manufacturing industry is entering a period of opportunity with overlapping policy, technological, and market dividends. It is expected to comprehensively empower the intelligent transformation of manufacturing and occupy a significant position in global industrial competition.