China ramps up building a national computing power network as AI token demand surges
China ramps up building a national computing power network as AI token demand surges
Publish Date: 2026-05-17 08:30:00
Source Domain: www.scmp.com
- China is constructing a “national computing network” to transform artificial intelligence infrastructure into a public utility as token usage increases.
- Tokens, which are basic units of information processed by AI models, are compared to mobile data due to their surge in usage, highlighting the need for an effective infrastructure.
- Daily token usage in China exceeded 140 trillion in March, indicating a rapid increase and raising costs for developers and businesses.
- The push for AI infrastructure is positioned as a priority alongside other national infrastructure networks such as water, power grids, communication, pipelines and logistics (“six networks”).
- The State Council has advocated for stronger planning and construction of these six networks, expecting investments to exceed 7 trillion yuan in 2024.
- Rising AI model costs pose challenges similar to those faced during the early mobile internet era, prompting the government to ensure accessible and affordable AI infrastructure.
