The municipal government of Zhuhai in southern Guangdong province has launched a new company as part of an ambitious programme to boost its artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics sectors, after the success of DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics sparked a national race to cultivate the next tech leaders.
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On Wednesday, the city announced its support for the newly established Zhuhai Technology Industry Group, focusing on AI and robotics.
It also unveiled incentives for local businesses, including “computing power vouchers” totalling 500 million yuan (US$69.5 million). Eligible companies will be reimbursed for half of their computing power expenditures, capped at 10 million yuan.
Additionally, “model vouchers” worth 100 million yuan were introduced to subsidise the use of large language models – the technology behind advanced AI chatbots. Companies can claim reimbursement for 30 per cent of related costs, with a cap of 1 million yuan per year.
Municipal officials also announced two initiatives aimed at incubating start-ups and integrating industrial resources: the Zhuhai Intelligent Robot Key Component Innovation Centre and the Zhuhai AI and Robotics Industrial Alliance.
Zhuhai’s move is part of a broader effort by Guangdong to establish itself as a global hub for AI and robotics. It comes after eastern Zhejiang province garnered national praise for nurturing start-ups like DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, whose founders have been hailed for their role in transforming China into a global tech power.