China's national data administration explores token-based business models for AI

At the 2026 China International Big Data Industry Expo, the National Data Administration's director, Liu Lihong, emphasized the need to focus on major national economic scenarios and explore new business models such as token-based subscriptions and performance-based payments. Token, serving as a key metric for AI services, is being studied for its potential in pricing and transaction models. The administration plans to expand data labeling initiatives in 32 cities, targeting industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation. Liu also highlighted the importance of developing data-centric academic programs to meet growing industry demands. By year-end 2026, China's daily token usage has surpassed 500 trillion, reflecting the intensifying global competition in large model development. The China AI Industry Development Alliance launched a token service working group in June, with participation from 22 companies including Huawei Cloud and China Mobile.