China Unicom’s strategy is presented as a key piece of a broader industry shift toward AI-powered digital services, tying Shanghai’s infrastructure push to nationwide ambitions.

The company pledges to become a comprehensive digital service provider by expanding AI capabilities and building new computing network ecosystems to fuel AI-driven services.

Hao Liqian explains an upgraded intelligent computing cloud system that combines computing, networks, chips and models to create trusted AI infrastructure and enable nationwide on-demand computing power with fast response times, backed by nearly 30 domestic chips and 300+ mainstream models.

China Unicom will leverage its service network of over 230,000 frontline employees and substantial financial support to improve delivery efficiency across finance, hardware terminals, data traffic and computing power.

Commercial AI applications will prioritize practical deployment, featuring a drag-and-drop marketplace for ready-to-use software components and a token-enabled data processing economy to monetize AI data.

Total intelligent computing capacity reportedly exceeds 2,100 exaflops, with commitments to invest through 2026-2030 to build ultra-large, eco-friendly intelligent computing centers nationwide.

Chairman Dong Xin outlines plans to connect satellite and AI infrastructure, advance 6G research, and create a next-generation network that unifies space, air, ground and sea with stronger sensing, intelligence and cybersecurity.

Shanghai authorities highlight support for AI+ initiatives, development of advanced 5G-Advanced and 10-gigabit optical networks, and Shanghai’s vast computing capacity to drive AI model development and new economic growth.

China Unicom is upgrading MaaS into a token operation platform and launching UniClaw, an AI agent for tasks such as office work and code development, under an integrated ‘agent + token + AI cloud’ model with a one-stop marketplace featuring hundreds of intelligent agents, smart terminals and security partners.