China Launches $8.2 Billion AI Fund to Boost Early-Stage Innovation

The state-backed initiative, managed by Guozhi Investment, aims to strengthen China's AI supply chain and advance technological self-sufficiency.

The 60 billion yuan (US$8.2 billion) AI Industry Investment Fund is now fully operational under state management, focusing on early-stage AI projects.
The fund is managed by Guozhi Investment (Shanghai) Private Equity Fund Management and integrates resources from the Big Fund's third phase, which supports semiconductor development.
It targets comprehensive investments across the AI supply chain, including computing power, data, algorithms, applications, and embodied AI, to drive innovation and commercialization.
The initiative aligns with China's broader strategy to achieve technological independence and assert leadership in the global AI race, particularly in response to U.S. trade restrictions.
Zhang Jianhua of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology emphasized the fund's role in fostering AI development in key hubs like Shenzhen.