Small companies look bigger with AI resources

Inside Yahui Industrial Park in Cheng'an county of Handan, Hebei province, screens at Yuehui Network Technology display dramas created by a small team with the aid of artificial intelligence.

Twenty-seven-year-old Shen Yueyue is the company's sole shareholder and single-handedly runs the company. The team of four — Shen plus three employees — are producing an animated series to be distributed via TikTok in nine countries.

The bustling workspace is an example of the booming local small business economy. Shen uses AI to allow him to do multiple jobs, from managing the business to producing shows.

On Sept 18, Cheng'an issued Hebei province's first county-level computing power voucher and a service platform for smaller businesses.

With the first tranche of vouchers — 2 million yuan ($297,900) — enterprises can offset their spending on computing services. The platform automatically captures real-time computer usage data, enabling eligible companies to receive subsidies with no formal application procedure. This helps them access computing power and train models effectively.

Co-built by local authorities and Handan Zhongguancun Information Valley Technology Service, the platform supports computing scheduling, agent integration and technical services. It collects 221 large models with online price comparison functions. Novice creators can generate audio, video and other content via ready-made templates, while professional developers may connect private keys to build customized workflows, effectively lowering technical barriers to entry.

Ma Tengyu, deputy director of Handan Zhongguancun's industrial service department, said that affordable tools, order resources and subsidies are the core demands of entrepreneurs. The computing power vouchers and the platform relieve some real pain points.

Benefits have reached local small and medium-sized businesses. Shen noted that video-generation costs have dropped 7 to 15 percent and text-model expenses have been cut by more than half.

Fengyuxing Advertising, for example, has expanded its business from rural-themed AI animated series to AI design and corporate promotional videos through the platform's supply-and-demand matching service.

Five small enterprises signed settlement agreements at the launch event. So far, 49 small local entities are running active businesses.

"Issuing county-level OPC computing power vouchers is an important exploration to promote the decentralization of computing resources," said Pan Liyong, head of the Cheng'an county's bureau of development and reform and bureau of commerce.

Local authorities say they will keep empowering industries with AI to foster new digital economy growth drivers.

Tao Jiayi contributed to this story.