Chinese companies are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence (AI) "digital employees" into their operations.
Major appliance manufacturer Haier developed its own AI agent named Zhixiaoneng in May. The company has deployed Zhixiaoneng to assist employees in core functions such as research and development, manufacturing, supply chain, sales, and service. As of late July, over 60,000 employees had their own digital colleagues, with these AIs taking on roles that extend beyond simple Q&A to independently managing work processes.
Haier has also enabled employees to create their own AI applications. When employees describe the tasks they need, Zhixiaoneng generates the necessary applications. A total of 262 personalized AI agents have been created this way. For instance, a purchasing employee developed an AI application that analyzes past sales, real-time orders, and market data to determine restocking needs, reducing the time required from about an hour to just five minutes. Similarly, a warehouse management employee created an AI application to monitor warehouse usage and anomalies, cutting inspection time from over four hours to ten minutes.
Dairy company Mengniu selected 200 employees to identify tasks that could be addressed by AI. This initiative resulted in the creation of 45 AI digital employees, which were assigned to research and development, production, supply chain, and sales tasks. One farm management employee input two specialized books on cow diseases into the AI knowledge base and combined it with personal experience to create a precision diagnosis AI for cows. When health issues arise on the farm, the AI analyzes symptoms and suggests responses. Previously, it took an external expert 1.5 days to arrive on-site, but with AI, diagnosis and response strategies can be determined in just one hour.
Shanghai Jahwa, which owns multiple cosmetics brands, has introduced AI agents across nine departments, including supply chain and brand marketing. The company operates stores on various online shopping platforms and has historically employed many staff for supply chain management. After implementing AI, the time required for monthly billing analysis decreased from two days to 15 minutes, while basic data preparation was reduced from one day to just two minutes. As a result, AI has effectively taken on the role of logistics accountant, analyzing seven types of invoices, including warehouse fees, labor costs, and shipping charges. Monthly analysis that previously took five days is now completed in 20 minutes. The company’s Chief Technology Officer stated, "AI is more than just a tool for efficiency; it is closer to a digital employee with clear data authority and job scope."
Solar company JinkoSolar utilizes AI across finance, information technology, intellectual property, and production tasks. A finance employee noted that using AI can reduce the time spent organizing monthly financial data from three hours to just 15 minutes. He described AI as akin to a new employee who is knowledgeable but inexperienced, stating, "Once you teach it the rules and methods, it quickly becomes proficient."
According to market research firm iResearch, the monthly visits to 17 major AI office agents in China increased from 20 million in March to 60 million in June this year. The China Communications Industry Association's Data Center Committee projects that the market for AI agents in Chinese enterprises will grow from 21.2 billion yuan in 2025 to 44.9 billion yuan in 2026, and exceed 332 billion yuan (approximately $68.1 billion) by 2029. The average annual growth rate from 2024 to 2029 is expected to reach 107%.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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