China currently leads in the integration of artificial intelligence within the manufacturing sector. In 2024, the country installed 295 000 industrial robots, accounting for 54% of the global total. Estimates indicate that AI adoption in Chinese manufacturing has reached approximately 67%.
Beijing is promoting the AI Plus initiative to integrate artificial intelligence across various industrial sectors. As of September 2026, Chinese AI models have reduced the performance gap with US leaders to about 3% on benchmarks. Additionally, Siemens launched six AI testbed scenarios in five Chinese factories by October 12, 2026.
The European Union is focusing on industrial expertise and proprietary data to compete. The bloc is establishing a network of 19 AI Factories across 16 countries and has proposed the creation of AI Gigafactories. Companies like Siemens, ABB, and Schneider Electric are central to this strategy, which prioritizes data-driven automation over raw benchmark performance.
