BEIJING: China has announced plans to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data in elderly and social care, aiming to drive economic growth despite an aging population.
Speaking at a press conference during the annual “Two Sessions” political gathering, Civil Affairs Minister Lu Zhiyuan stated that China will expand the use of AI and big data in social assistance, elderly care, and services for people with disabilities. The initiative aims to make these services more convenient, accessible, and standardised, he added.
With its population declining for the third consecutive year in 2024 and over 310 million people aged 60 and above, China is increasingly turning to technology to sustain economic growth amid a shrinking workforce.
Local governments have swiftly integrated DeepSeek’s AI model into their services after the private Chinese company released its latest chatbot version in January.
