China’s factories leaping straight into agentic AI and taking it global: Black Lake CEO
China’s manufacturing sector is leapfrogging straight into the era of agentic artificial intelligence and is now exporting that playbook to global supply chains, according to the CEO of Black Lake, a Chinese provider of cloud-based AI tools for factories. “Just as China skipped credit cards and jumped directly to mobile payments, many factories are skipping full traditional digitalisation and…
China’s manufacturing sector is rapidly adopting agentic artificial intelligence (AI), exporting this technology to global supply chains, according to Zhou Yuxiang, CEO of Black Lake. This shift marks a pivotal stage for China’s manufacturing industry, as it transitions from traditional low-cost and reliable production to agility-driven operations.
AI tools and agents are deployed throughout the manufacturing process, from design to production, to meet small-batch and customized demands. Shanghai-based Black Lake has developed role-based AI agents for various tasks, with up to 40% achieving full autonomy under human supervision. The remaining 60% serve as co-pilots, helping employees make quicker decisions, with the expectation of full autonomy within 12 to 18 months.
China’s strategy aligns with the national "AI plus" initiative, aiming to integrate AI into 90% of the economy by 2030. Black Lake is expanding this AI playbook overseas, particularly in Southeast Asia and Latin America, where demand is rapidly growing. The company's AI agents are designed to handle tasks previously performed by humans, reducing fixed engineering costs and enabling small-batch production.
This technology is being embraced by globally successful "Made in China" brands, further driving demand for Black Lake's AI solutions.
Written by urgent.news from SCMP Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
