Plan to put China in AI industry vanguard

China aims to build a 1 trillion yuan ($147.9 billion) artificial intelligence industry by 2030, as the country scrambles to lead the world in research and application of the cutting-edge technology, a new plan said on Thursday.

The national AI development plan, published on the State Council's website, detailed a three-step strategy to achieve the ambitious goal. It highlights China's determination to achieve breakthroughs in core AI technologies and accelerate its application in the manufacturing, service, agriculture and other sectors.

To achieve the goal, the AI industry in China is expected to exceed 150 billion yuan in 2020, putting the country on par with leading powers in the technology and its application. The current market size for China's AI industry was not disclosed.