Xinhua to Build 'Xi Jinping Thought AI' as Ideological Tool

(CNA, Beijing, 5th, Combined Foreign Reports) According to a document from the Shanghai Stock Exchange, state-run Xinhua News Agency's subsidiary, Xinhuanet, plans to invest over 1.1 billion yuan (approximately US$162.38 million) to build an "authoritative" artificial intelligence political information agent system to help promote the ideology of Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Reuters reported that Xinhuanet Co., Ltd. stated that the project, named "Xinhua Yudian," is an "artificial intelligence agent (AI Agent) for learning, researching, and disseminating Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era."

The company stated that this AI agent is driven by mainstream values, dedicated to "spreading positive energy," while also providing users with current affairs and political news content, helping the public "face the dilemma of choice in information overload and the trust dilemma of distinguishing truth from falsehood."

The AI agent promoted by Xinhuanet will present the essence of Xi Jinping's quotations to users. Users can rely on it as a calibration tool for politically sensitive citations, ensuring "accurate" references to Xi Jinping's remarks when writing official documents and interpreting policies.

Xinhuanet Co., Ltd. pointed out that the AI is built on the "authoritative and pure" corpus of the state-run Xinhua News Agency, helping to transmit the Party's voice to all levels of Chinese society, providing further support for "consolidating the ideological and public opinion foundation."

The European international affairs analysis platform "Modern Diplomacy" noted that this development highlights that AI is not only seen as a technological tool but is also increasingly becoming a means of political communication and ideological reinforcement. Unlike commercial AI systems designed for open information retrieval, "Xinhua Yudian" is explicitly constructed to promote state-sanctioned policy interpretations and leadership thought.

This move reflects Beijing's growing emphasis on controlling the information ecosystem in an era of information explosion and competing narratives. By positioning AI as a "trust layer" for political and policy information, China attempts to address concerns about misinformation while further strengthening ideological consistency on digital platforms.

"Modern Diplomacy" believes that this project also demonstrates a more comprehensive integration of state power and emerging technologies. As AI systems become more deeply integrated into education, media, and governance, these technologies not only influence what information is available but also increasingly determine how information is interpreted. This raises critical questions about transparency, bias, and the role of algorithmic systems in political communication. (Editor: He Hongru) 1150605