Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

The transformation of a single bulldozer can sometimes speak more vividly about an economy's direction than volumes of macroeconomic statistics. The artificial intelligence (AI)-driven upgrading of bulldozers produced by China's Shantui Construction Machinery illustrates how advanced technologies are reshaping Chinese manufacturing, pushing it toward a model that is both more intelligent and more environmentally sustainable.

From an AI-powered Shantui bulldozer autonomously completing leveling with centimeter-level precision to the world's first AI-driven, fully electric unmanned bulldozer carrying out earth stripping with zero emissions, these are not visions of the future but real production scenes unfolding in China this year. After Shantui unveiled the world's first AI intellectual bulldozer in June, the company's new products are being used on sites such as reservoir embankments in East China's Shandong Province and mining fields in South China's Guangdong Province, the Shanghai Securities News reported on Wednesday.

The rapid development of the bulldozer manufacturer's AI and low-emission process are not isolated cases, they are vivid microcosms of how China's manufacturing sector is reorienting itself toward high-quality, AI-enabled, and low-carbon development.

The company's transformation mirrors a wider industrial logic taking shape across China: AI is not an advanced technology force that uproots existing industries, but a super tool that amplifies accumulated industrial capabilities. This path reflects the underlying logic of China's new development model - grounded in industrial depth, driven by technological innovation, and oriented toward both domestic and global markets.

Shantui's AI strategy exemplifies the transition toward intelligent manufacturing. In June, the company delivered the world's first AI intelligent bulldozer. Built around an integrated architecture of "intelligent machine + AI assistant," the model demonstrated striking results in real-world testing at a quarry near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Earthmoving efficiency increased by 40 percent, while fuel consumption dropped by 20 percent, according to the Shanghai Securities News. 

These gains speak directly to the pressures facing the global construction machinery industry - rising labor costs, visible efficiency ceilings, and increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

The company's self-driven innovation aligns with China's broader push to cultivate new quality productive forces. The company assembled a technical team of more than 100 engineers who spent six months on secondary development based on the DeepSeek open-source foundation model. 

This development of the innovation cycle fully reflects that it was supported and accelerated by China's dense industrial ecosystem and technology advancement in fields such as AI. This is a textbook example of how open-source AI innovation can empower traditional industries to upgrade toward intelligence and decarbonization - key pillars of China's new development strategy.

From a broader perspective, AI-driven upgrading is reshaping traditional sectors across China's economy. In steelmaking, intelligent control systems are reducing energy consumption per ton of output while stabilizing quality. In power generation, AI-based predictive maintenance is cutting downtime and extending equipment life. In ports and logistics hubs, automated cranes and scheduling algorithms are lifting throughput while lowering carbon intensity. 

This technology-driven upgrade is strengthening the global competitiveness of Chinese companies. In 2024, Shantui reported revenue of 14.22 billion yuan ($2.03 billion), with overseas business contributing 7.4 billion yuan, or 52.12 percent of the total.

As more Chinese manufacturers make progress in this direction - integrating AI, digital technologies, and green solutions into production - China's industrial landscape is set to undergo a profound transformation. By aligning technological innovation with global market strategy, these companies are not only enhancing product quality at home but also redefining "Made in China" as a symbol of intelligence, efficiency, and high value on the world stage. 

The evolution of enterprises such as Shantui illustrates how China's manufacturing sector is moving decisively to high-quality, innovation-led competitiveness, signaling a new state for both the domestic economy and its role in global supply chains.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn