Ningbo's AI industry gains momentum with 11.3% revenue growth

A humanoid robot delivers a beverage. [Photo by Shen Tianzhou/Yongpai App]

Ningbo's artificial intelligence industry is showing strong momentum, with core sector revenue growing 11.3 percent last year, driven by rapid innovation and expanding real-world applications.

At a humanoid robot retail capsule developed by the Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, the robot Naviai has taken on a new role as a vending assistant, picking up drinks, handing them to customers and interacting through voice, gestures and facial expressions.

Across the city, AI is breathing new life into traditional industries. At Beifa AI Creative global flagship store, smart glasses supporting 138 languages, an AI-powered emotional companion, and intelligent pens that convert speech into text highlight how a stationery manufacturer is reinventing itself.

At the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Ningbo-based companies unveiled cutting-edge products, including an AI-powered kitchen sink with a life model that recommends recipes, as well as new AI glasses and mixed-reality devices.

By the end of last year, Ningbo had secured 13 provincial-level AI "smart premium product" titles. Some products now dominate niche domestic markets, while others have been included in national catalogs promoting smart healthcare and elderly care.

Officials say AI is becoming essential to the building of a modern industrial system. Ningbo is expanding data and computing infrastructure, deepening AI integration in manufacturing, ports, public services and governance, and strengthening talent, financial and innovation ecosystems.