China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has officially released a new action plan dedicated to blending artificial intelligence with the software sector, marking a significant push to modernize the industry. The strategy, titled the "AI + Software" Special Action Implementation Plan, is designed to leverage intelligent technologies to reshape software development and IT services, with a strong emphasis on advancing smart programming tools and cultivating emerging business models centered on intelligent software agents.

The plan establishes clear milestones, aiming for a major boost in the sector's intelligent capabilities by 2028. Specific targets include deploying these advanced tools across 20,000 companies above a designated scale, completing 100 intelligent upgrade projects for software firms, and creating 100 benchmark applications for intelligent agent software in key industries, alongside nurturing more than five high-quality open-source projects.

Looking further ahead to 2030, the initiative envisions a comprehensive intelligent transformation of critical software, with new growth drivers emerging from smart programming, intelligent agents, and related services. The ultimate goal is to establish internationally influential open-source communities and industrial clusters that can compete on a global stage.

To accelerate the adoption of new intelligent software products, the plan encourages close collaboration between software developers and manufacturers of smart devices, including smartphones, smart home systems, and connected vehicles. This cooperation aims to integrate lightweight AI models into terminal software and explore new frontiers such as embodied intelligence system software, while also laying groundwork for future computing paradigms like quantum and neuromorphic computing.

Furthermore, the plan calls for guiding software companies toward transforming into AI application service providers. It includes a dedicated support program for AI-focused startups and encourages regional governments to foster innovation clusters that specialize in the "AI + Software" space, creating a fertile environment for entrepreneurial growth and technological breakthroughs.