A bird's-eye view of the Future Sci-Tech City of Hangzhou Chengxi Sci-Tech Innovation Corridor. [Photo/Tide News]

Hangzhou has formally set a goal to become China's leading city in artificial intelligence innovation, marking a new strategic push as the city builds on its strengths as a national digital economy powerhouse.

The goal was unveiled on Dec 18 at a press briefing following a plenary session of the Hangzhou municipal government. It is the first time the city has publicly proposed this target, signaling a clear shift from being known as a digital economy leader to positioning itself at the forefront of global AI innovation.

The move comes as Hangzhou's AI ecosystem gains growing international attention. Companies such as DeepSeek, Unitree Robotics, and BrainCo — often dubbed the city's emerging AI champions — have highlighted Hangzhou's role in the global AI landscape, reshaping perceptions of why major tech innovators continue to emerge from the city.

An office at ModelScope, an open-source platform for creators which is China's largest and the world's second largest. [Photo/Tide News]

Hangzhou's confidence stems from more than a decade of experience in developing its digital economy. The city has built strong advantages in open-source AI models, embodied intelligence, and institutional innovation. Notably, multiple Hangzhou-based large language models now rank among the world's leading open-source systems, while its humanoid robotics and intelligent manufacturing sectors are advancing rapidly toward real-world applications.

Policy support also plays a key role. As a national pilot zone for AI innovation, Hangzhou has led reforms in data governance, public data sharing, and smart city development, creating a favorable environment for AI research and commercialization.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–30), Hangzhou plans to strengthen computing infrastructure, expand AI industrial clusters, and promote AI integration across manufacturing, governance, and public services. By doing so, the city aims not only to lead in innovation, but also to drive coordinated AI development across Zhejiang province and the Yangtze River Delta region.

The Xmech robot dog developed by Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. [Photo/Zhejiang University]