Beijing Unveils AI Agent Plan and Token Economy to Strengthen Global Tech Leadership
Beijing has approved a comprehensive policy package on July 23, 2026, to accelerate the development of intelligent agents and establish a token economy for artificial intelligence computing resources, marking a significant step in China’s push for global AI leadership. The measures, jointly issued by the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission and multiple government agencies, aim to strengthen the city’s position as a leading global artificial intelligence innovation center.
Intelligent Agents Across Industries
The policy targets advances in AI model capabilities, including online learning, continuous learning, and autonomous decision-making systems. Authorities plan to support long-context reasoning, multi-agent collaboration, memory systems, and world models for increasingly complex tasks. Beijing will also encourage open-source development, shared AI infrastructure, interoperability standards, and secure technology frameworks to allow intelligent agent deployment across industries such as research, healthcare, manufacturing, education, government services, and scientific discovery.
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Support for Startups and One-Person Companies
A notable element of the policy is the introduction of One-Person Companies (OPCs) powered by AI automation. The government plans to simplify company registration while providing computing resources, financing support, incubation services, intellectual property assistance, and entrepreneurship guidance. Dedicated innovation communities and supply-demand matching platforms will help connect AI startups with larger enterprises seeking specialized intelligent agent solutions. Companies developing intelligent smartphones, robots, wearable devices, vehicles, and smart glasses will also receive policy support through existing consumer incentive programs.
Token Economy and Infrastructure Expansion
The token economy framework focuses on AI computing resources rather than blockchain-based cryptocurrencies. Tokens represent computational resources supporting intelligent agent execution and inference efficiency. The government plans to encourage development of specialized processors, inference chips, and technologies reducing computing costs through optimized scheduling and storage collaboration. Commercial models including Token as a Service (TaaS), Agent as a Service (AaaS), and Result as a Service (RaaS) will be promoted. Authorities will establish service quality standards, pricing frameworks, and evaluation systems measuring intelligent quality, usage volume, and conversion efficiency.
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The initiative also expands the Galaxy Computing Corridor, introduces computing and token vouchers, strengthens AI security governance, and supports talent development alongside international cooperation. These measures are designed to create a sustainable ecosystem supporting long-term growth of intelligent agents and the broader AI economy.
Implications for the Global AI Space
Beijing’s policy signals a strategic push to integrate AI deeply into economic and industrial systems, with a focus on practical applications and infrastructure. The token economy model could influence how computing resources are allocated and monetized in AI development globally. For businesses and investors, the policy opens opportunities in AI hardware, software, and services, particularly for startups and small enterprises. The emphasis on open-source development and interoperability may also accelerate innovation and collaboration across the AI ecosystem.
As Beijing moves to implement these measures, the global AI community will watch closely for the impact on competition, standards, and the pace of technological advancement. The policy’s success could shape future AI governance and economic models worldwide.
