As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries and daily life, businesses and individuals should embrace the technology and adapt their strategies to navigate the transformation, industry leaders said at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 in Hainan province.

Their remarks highlight the growing consensus that AI is no longer a stand-alone tool, but a fundamental force that will redefine how industries operate and compete.

Fang Rong, chairwoman of ZTE Corp, said the integration of AI with traditional industries goes far beyond simple technological upgrades.

"It is not a simple addition of technology, but a redefinition of industrial rules," Fang said, explaining that in the AI era, companies should shift from being hardware suppliers to decision intelligence providers, delivering certainty in complex industrial scenarios through AI-driven capabilities.

Fang cited flexible manufacturing enabled by AI as an example, noting that the ability to produce small batches with rapid response can generate returns far exceeding cost savings from relocating production.

"As long as the 'core brain' remains in our hands, the industrial foundation will not be lost — it will only complete its digital transformation," she said.

In the AI era, competition ultimately comes down to the level of human-machine collaboration, Fang added, noting that such organizational models are difficult to replicate and will form a key barrier to entry.

Across sectors, AI is also driving structural changes.

Cheng Qun, vice-president of online education company Yuanfudao Group, said the education sector is undergoing a major transformation powered by AI development.

"The education sector is set for profound transformation in the age of AI," Cheng said, adding that for a long time, education has faced an "impossible triangle" to achieve high quality, large scale and personalization at the same time.

With AI, however, students' learning data and teachers' instructional data can now be precisely captured and analyzed, Cheng said. "What we have pursued for more than 2,000 years — teaching students according to their individual needs — is now turning into reality with AI."

He added that China is strongly competitive in vertical large models, including in education, supported by rich data resources and solid digital infrastructure.

In the consumer sector, AI is expected to expand accessibility by reaching a broader user base.

"During this year's nine-day Spring Festival holiday, 4 million people aged over 60 used Qwen to order food deliveries for the first time, despite previously not being familiar with AI-based applications," said Xiang Huangmei, vice-president of Alibaba Group, adding that AI-driven orders in lower-tier cities and counties also surged significantly during the period.

"While AI represents vast technological possibilities, it is already contributing to everyday life in very practical ways," Xiang added.

For service-oriented industries, AI is improving efficiency while preserving human value.

Chen Xiaohua, founder and CEO of online service platform Daojia, said that although industry practitioners may inevitably feel anxious about AI replacement for human labor, sectors relying on offline transactions, such as real estate, used car trading and home cleaning, could also see significant efficiency gains driven by the technology.

"While machines offer efficiency and can perform tasks beyond human capability, humans bring their own judgment, decisionmaking and emotional intelligence," Chen said. "We believe the ideal state lies in human-machine collaboration that combines both efficiency and a human touch."

However, while embracing AI in their business scale, companies need to adopt an "AI-first" strategy rather than making incremental adjustments, said Denis Depoux, global managing director at German strategy consulting firm Roland Berger.

"Optimizing isolated use cases will not lead to full transformation," Depoux said. "Companies need to build AI capabilities based on their own proprietary data, IT systems and cloud architecture."

Depoux added that as large language models approach performance limits, the ability to design effective prompts will also become a key skill.

"The future workforce will need to know how to interact with AI efficiently to unlock better outcomes," he said.

lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn