China’s AI Development Enters Fast-Growth Phase with Surging Token Usage

A press conference hosted by the State Council Information Office on March 24 shed light on China’s remarkable progress in artificial intelligence (AI) development, with data showing robust growth in token usage and significant achievements in high-quality data set construction.

By March this year, China’s average daily token calls had exceeded 140 trillion, representing a more than 1,000-fold increase compared with the 100 billion recorded at the start of 2024. It also rose by over 40% in just three months from the 100 trillion registered at the end of 2025, indicating a rapid expansion in AI application.

The surge in daily token calls reflects the deepening of AI application scenarios, which have evolved from simple dialogue functions to decision-making and execution agents. This advancement has also enhanced the competitiveness of China’s AI industry, with the growing overseas expansion of tokens serving as a key indicator of this strengthened capability.

Phased achievements have also been made in the construction of high-quality data sets. By the end of 2025, more than 100,000 high-quality data sets had been built nationwide, with a total volume exceeding 890PB—equivalent to approximately 310 times the digital resource volume of China National Library.

To sustain this momentum, the National Data Administration will continue to promote data empowerment for AI innovation and development. It will collaborate with various parties to implement a new round of action plans for high-quality data set construction, focusing on scenario-based needs to accelerate pilot projects.

Efforts will be made to build AI-Ready high-quality data sets that are technically feasible, practical and convenient, and quality-assured, aiming to improve both the quantity and quality of high-quality data set supply and further propel China’s AI industry towards high-quality development.