The Industrial Internet is opening new horizons for the manufacturing industry, significantly advancing its digitalization, networking, and intelligence. Xu Xiaolan, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), shared these insights during a Q&A session at the Members’ Corridor of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee.
“The Industrial Internet utilizes digital technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide industrial enterprises with comprehensive service platforms,” Xu explained. “These platforms cover the entire life cycle from design to production to management, fostering new manufacturing and service systems that greatly enhance the industry.”
Examples of this transformation are evident across various sectors. In the automotive industry, a company leveraged the Industrial Internet to connect data from over 2,000 global parts suppliers. This integration shortened the supply cycle by 20% and eliminated parts allocation errors entirely.
Similarly, a garment enterprise harnessed the Industrial Internet to analyze user demand, reducing inventory turnover days and achieving production efficiency three times higher than industry peers.
After eight years of development, the Industrial Internet has been applied in 49 sectors of the national economy, covering all major industrial categories. The core industry scale has reached 1.53 trillion yuan (about $211 billion), Xu noted.
Looking ahead, Xu highlighted the potential of integrating AI with the Industrial Internet. DeepSeek’s open-source AI model, already widely adopted in fields such as pharmaceuticals, culture, and tourism, is expected to expand significantly into the industrial sector. “The deep integration of AI and the Industrial Internet will accelerate the digital and intelligent transformation of manufacturing,” she added.
