On 29 January 2024 the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and six other departments issued the Implementation Opinion on Promoting the Innovative Development of Future Industries. The document groups future industries into six directions — future manufacturing, future information, future materials, future energy, future space and future health — and sets staged goals for 2025 and 2027.
Where AI sits
Artificial intelligence is not listed as a standalone track. It appears under future information, alongside quantum information, 6G and satellite internet. The placement is deliberate: policy treats AI as part of the information infrastructure rather than an isolated product category. Humanoid robotics sits under future manufacturing, together with high-end equipment and additive manufacturing.
The practical consequence is that the application route differs. Companies working on models and algorithms generally fall under future information; companies building embodied intelligence and robot bodies fall under future manufacturing. Choosing the wrong route also skews the preparation of materials.
Three legal questions arrive earlier
- Access and licensing. Future industries often produce products before rules. Satellite internet, biomanufacturing and future energy involve licences or filings, and a product definition that crosses categories may no longer be covered by existing qualifications.
- IP strategy. Technology routes are not yet settled, so a combination of patents and trade secrets matters more than a single filing. For humanoid robots, hardware-software integration, model weights and training methods all require a decision on protection before disclosure.
- Export control and data. Quantum, advanced materials and some high-end equipment may fall within export controls. Cross-border collaboration or offshore compute also requires an outbound data and investment review.
How to use the document
Identify which direction your product falls under, then work back to the competent authority, the support policies and the compliance requirements. The document sets direction and goals; it does not replace specific licensing conditions. Treating “eligible to apply” as “entitled to operate” is the most common error in emerging tracks.
For access analysis see business licensing; for protection before disclosure see IP protection and export controls; for data and compute arrangements see data compliance.
This article is based on the Implementation Opinion on Promoting the Innovative Development of Future Industries issued by MIIT and six other departments on 29 January 2024, and on public information. It is for reference only and does not constitute legal advice.