Shanghai has rolled out a new policy package to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence across the manufacturing sector. The measures support the development of industrial AI technologies and data resources, their application in manufacturing, and the intelligent transformation of manufacturers.

Core technologies and industrial data

Projects in areas such as industry-specific large models, AI coding models, physical AI, industrial AI agents, industrial software, and the industrial internet may receive up to 20 million yuan ($2.95 million) in support. The support will help advance key technologies, including knowledge graph integration and text-to-3D design for industrial components.

Comprehensive security solutions for large industrial models and AI agents may receive up to 10 million yuan in funding.

Professional service platforms for high-quality industrial datasets may receive up to 20 million yuan in funding. These platforms will develop industrial data governance tools and establish mechanisms to aggregate and share common industry data.

Support is also available to manufacturers and industrial AI companies that form innovation consortia to develop high-quality datasets, data governance toolchains, or data products for high-value applications. These resources should be suitable for circulation and wider adoption and made available for industry use.

Manufacturing applications and intelligent transformation

Manufacturers and service providers are encouraged to develop industry-specific AI models, build high-quality training and evaluation datasets, identify high-value application scenarios, and build specialized models or AI agents for sectors such as high-end equipment, the space industry, and shipbuilding.

Support will also be provided for industry-specific AI agents capable of performing complex task planning, selecting and using tools with precision, and interacting with industrial systems. The aim is to achieve technological breakthroughs or enable large-scale application.

Industrial internet platform operators may receive up to 20 million yuan to develop scenario-specific models, tools for processing high-quality training data, standard libraries, AI agent marketplaces, and other capabilities, thereby creating lightweight, easy-to-deploy intelligent products and solutions.

Support for innovation testing and application scenarios includes:

• Up to 20 million yuan for pilot-scale testing facilities for AI applications in manufacturing;
• Up to 10 million yuan for real-world manufacturing applications of embodied intelligent robots;
• Support for manufacturers implementing stand-alone or interconnected high-value applications to address challenges in quality control, process optimization, production scheduling, and supply chain optimization.

Shanghai will also develop "AI+manufacturing" demonstration enterprises. Manufacturers that make extensive use of AI, digital twins, and physical AI to establish replicable models for end-to-end digital and intelligent transformation may receive up to 20 million yuan in funding.

Reducing the cost of adopting AI

Industrial AI computing cloud platforms are encouraged to provide manufacturers with free trials of low-code AI agent development platforms and industrial AI agents, offer platform token trial credits, and introduce computing power support programs for enterprises.

Specific subsidies include:

• Up to 40 million yuan for renting AI computing resources from unaffiliated third parties to develop and apply industrial large models and AI agents;
• Up to 5 million yuan for using third-party large models or deploying them privately for industry-specific applications; and
• Up to 5 million yuan for purchasing high-quality training data to develop and apply industry-specific large models and industrial AI agents.

Industrial software, intelligent equipment, and AI-enabled products

AI-native industrial software for applications such as intelligent simulation and defect detection, new types of industrial software such as embodied AI control systems, and industrial software that uses AI for intelligent modeling and automated simulation may receive up to 10 million yuan.

Projects that apply AI to machine tools, robots, and other equipment to improve perception, collaboration, and autonomous decision-making, resulting in breakthroughs involving first-of-their-kind equipment or systems, may receive up to 20 million yuan.

AI-enabled products, including computers, smartphones, companion robots, smart glasses, and AI computing servers, may also receive up to 20 million yuan in funding.

Note: The information above is for reference only. Applicants should refer to the relevant application notices for official eligibility requirements and application guidance.

Source: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization