China’s generative AI users top 700 million, up 16% in six months
Official half-year statistics confirm adoption is accelerating; Q&A remains the top use, with office and smart-hardware use expanding alongside.
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China’s generative AI user base has surpassed 700 million, crossing half the population for the first time.
The China Internet Network Information Centre (CNNIC, the state agency that compiles national internet statistics) released the figures on September 29: as of the end of June, generative AI users exceeded 700 million, up 16 per cent from 602 million at the end of 2025, when penetration stood at 42.8 per cent.
By use, 76 per cent of users employ AI for question answering, 48 per cent for image or video processing, 38 per cent for text processing, and 33 per cent for work summaries, meeting notes or presentations. Another 39 per cent bought smart hardware online in the past six months, showing adoption extending beyond software.
The data covers a period ending in June, about a quarter before release, and the usage breakdown comes from a self-reported user survey.