The Bank of China plans to allocate 1 trillion yuan ($137.5 billion) over five years to provide financial support to companies working in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). The announcement comes directly from the institution.

The bank intends to “strengthen the foundation” for China’s AI industry by funding computing centers, auxiliary facilities, and relevant infrastructure. It will also offer risk management solutions, such as property insurance, to help companies better manage threats.

A specialized system has been created to integrate and upgrade AI technologies and industrial resources. Key tech enterprises will gain access to capital markets.

The Bank of China also aims to invest in new areas at the intersection of AI and other sectors such as robotics, economics, and biomanufacturing, and to help businesses expand globally.

Context

In January, U.S. President Donald Trump announced $500 billion in private-sector investment toward AI infrastructure, although experts doubt the feasibility of such a large funding scheme.
Meanwhile, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek introduced a model reportedly superior and more cost-effective than its American counterparts, prompting a drop across both equity and crypto markets.