As the first half of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period concludes, Beijing's smart manufacturing sector is witnessing concentrated production releases for new energy vehicles and commercial rockets. Industrial AI large models are being deployed in chemical and pharmaceutical plants, while humanoid robots are undergoing industrial trials in automotive assembly workshops. This signals a shift from mere conceptual demonstrations and prototype development to a critical phase of mass production and real-world application. It is evident that Beijing's smart manufacturing technology is no longer confined to laboratories but is rapidly advancing onto factory floors. The core driver of this transformation is the comprehensive implementation of new quality productive forces.

Looking ahead to the second half of the year, multiple smart manufacturing production lines in Beijing are set to ramp up output. AI will penetrate the entire industrial chain, the hard-tech sector will continue to expand, and new quality productive forces will achieve further large-scale implementation.

Strong Growth in the First Half

The first half of the "15th Five-Year Plan" has seen Beijing's smart manufacturing achieve growth in both scale and quality, with overall robust expansion. However, performance across different segments has varied significantly, with high-end, hard-core manufacturing emerging as the primary growth driver. Data from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology shows that from January to May 2026, the added value of industrial enterprises above a designated size in the city increased by 4.5% year-on-year. The added value of high-tech manufacturing and strategic emerging industries surged by 15.7% and 14%, respectively. Output growth in specific equipment categories was notable: service robots increased by 1.6 times, industrial robots by 80.4%, while wind power equipment and new energy vehicle production rose by 58.4% and 26.2%, respectively. In the first quarter, the combined added value of industry and software exceeded 470 billion yuan, accounting for over 36.3% of GDP and contributing more than 50% to economic growth.

By sector, integrated circuit manufacturing grew by a remarkable 82.5%, and electronic equipment manufacturing increased by 26.5%. Traditional automobile manufacturing declined by 9.4%, with internal combustion engine vehicle capacity continuing to contract, further highlighting the rapid development of "smart manufacturing." New energy vehicles have become a benchmark for growth. Xiaomi's automotive plant in Beijing continues to ramp up production, with deliveries exceeding 30,000 units in May. Li Auto's Shunyi base completed the transformation of its pure electric production line, with its i-series models now being delivered at scale.

In commercial aerospace, Beijing has developed a unique cluster advantage. In the first half of the year, CAS Space and Galactic Energy successfully launched rockets. The Yizhuang area has gathered over 180 commercial aerospace enterprises, with rocket companies accounting for 75% of the national total. Leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer NAURA Technology Group Co., Ltd. reported first-quarter revenue of 10.323 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 25.8%.

Factories are not only becoming more digital but are also welcoming a new generation of embodied intelligent robotic workers. Recently, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region's first 10,000-unit-level embodied intelligent robot super factory (Lingyi Intelligent Manufacturing Beijing Embodied Intelligent Super Factory) has been put into operation on a large scale. According to plans, the Beijing super factory's annual capacity will gradually increase, reaching 10,000 units in 2026, 20,000 units in 2027, and 500,000 units by 2030.

Overall, Beijing's "smart manufacturing" digital transformation has achieved significant results. The city currently has 197 advanced-level smart factories, 19 world-class factories, and 5 lighthouse factories. The digital transformation compliance rate among manufacturing enterprises above a designated size has reached 84%, laying a solid foundation for broader industry adoption in the second half of the year.

Key Trends for the Second Half

The latter half of 2026 marks a critical window for Beijing's smart manufacturing to enhance quality and implementation. Four major trends are reshaping the capital's manufacturing landscape and solidifying the foundation for its new quality productive forces: the concentrated release of new quality productive capacity, the transition of "smart factories" from benchmarks to standard features, the accelerated expansion of domestic substitution, and an explosion in demand for smart manufacturing jobs.

Trend One: Peak Period for New Quality Productive Capacity Release

The core theme for Beijing's smart manufacturing in the second half of 2026 is "implementation"—new production lines will concentrate on releasing capacity, supported by synchronized policy measures and special funding.

In vehicle manufacturing, leading companies are accelerating capacity release. Beijing has established a diversified vehicle manufacturing landscape. The Shunyi base clusters three major production bases: Beijing Hyundai, Li Auto, and BAIC Off-Road, with a planned total annual capacity exceeding 950,000 units by 2026. Combined capacity from Xiaomi's automotive plant and Changan Automobile's Beijing base exceeds 700,000 units.

Beijing also maintains a leading position in key new energy vehicle components. The battery factory of Times BAIC (Beijing) New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., jointly invested in by CATL, BAIC Group, Jingneng Group, and Xiaomi Group, recently produced its first battery cell, entering mass production. Factory construction is nearing completion, with equipment debugging underway for the second production line, expected to commence formal operations in August. For the full year 2026, the factory is projected to produce 7.5 GWh of battery cells. Upon reaching full capacity, it will form an annual production capacity of 15 GWh for power batteries.

Smart manufacturing benchmarks continue to evolve. "Lighthouse Factories," recognized as "the world's most advanced factories," represent the pinnacle of smart manufacturing and digitalization globally. Beijing now boasts six such facilities. Among them, Sany Heavy Industry's Beijing Piling Machinery Factory, through technological upgrades involving 2D/3D vision and human-machine collaboration, has increased labor productivity by 85% and reduced production cycles by 77%. Schneider Electric's Beijing campus, focusing on end-to-end net-zero goals, has achieved a series of exemplary results in key areas such as high-GWP gas replacement, campus energy management, supply chain decarbonization, and circular business models.

On the policy front, tangible financial support is being provided to enterprises undergoing digital transformation. The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology and the Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau jointly issued the "Implementation Guide for High-End, Precision, and Advanced Industrial Development Project Funds and SME Development Support Funds (First Batch)," covering 24 areas including integrated circuits, robotics, and artificial intelligence. The maximum annual interest subsidy for a single strategic project can reach 50 million yuan. In recent years, Beijing has introduced a series of policies, including digital transformation rewards, support for new infrastructure and new consumption ("Two News"), and equipment renewal initiatives, to reduce burdens and enhance capabilities for enterprise transformation.

In 2026, relevant support policies have been further optimized: platform service providers offering consulting, R&D, and application implementation services to enterprises are eligible for rewards of up to 50% of the contract value (capped at 100,000 yuan), encouraging a 1:1 cost-sharing arrangement between service providers and enterprises. Manufacturing benchmark enterprises that drive collaborative transformation in R&D, production, logistics, etc., across their industry chain are rewarded up to 100,000 yuan for each Beijing-based enterprise they help achieve compliance, with a single enterprise's cumulative reward capped at 2 million yuan. Projects demonstrating significant results in areas like "5G + Industrial Internet" integration are prioritized for rewards. Enterprises establishing full IPv6 single-stack network environments or being listed in the municipal 5G factory directory can receive funding rewards of up to 30% of the total project network construction investment, with a maximum of 2 million yuan per project.

Trend Two: Smart Factories Become Standard

If AI + manufacturing was largely in a demonstration phase in previous years, in the second half of 2026, intelligent transformation is becoming a standard feature of Beijing's manufacturing sector. In May 2026, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology issued the "Implementation Plan for High-Quality Development of Industrial Internet Empowered by Artificial Intelligence in Beijing (2026–2028)," explicitly promoting the deep integration and empowerment of AI and Industrial Internet to reshape the technological architecture, computing paradigms, industrial organization, and governance models of manufacturing digital-intelligent transformation. The plan aims to launch 100 high-level industrial intelligent agents by 2028.

The Beijing Embodied Intelligent Robot Innovation Center has launched the new-generation general-purpose humanoid robot TianGong 3.0. Equipped with dedicated embodied computing chips and a full-body VLA embodied intelligence framework, it achieves millimeter-level operational precision, meeting industrial operational needs. The Innovation Center stated that in the second half of 2026, it will rely on the Yizhuang mass production line for batch delivery of TianGong 3.0 and conduct small-batch industrial field trials in automotive assembly and logistics sorting scenarios.

Leveraging capabilities across the entire chain, including proprietary algorithms, industry-specific industrial large models, domestic industrial software, and industrial data services, Beijing's smart manufacturing is building an industrial moat distinct from other regions.

Trend Three: Accelerated Expansion of Domestic Substitution

Indigenous control and substitution will be the core theme for Beijing's high-end manufacturing upgrade in the second half of 2026. In the high-end CNC machine tool sector, Beijing Jingdiao Technology Group showcased its new generation of five-axis linkage high-speed machining centers at multiple industry exhibitions in 2026. Key core components such as the CNC system, precision electric spindle, and machining software are all self-developed, achieving micron-level machining accuracy. The products effectively enable import substitution of high-end equipment in aerospace structural components and precision medical devices. The company's order book for the second half of the year is already fully booked.

The industrial software sector is entering a window for large-scale implementation. Yonyou Network upgraded and released the "Yonyou BIP Smart Manufacturing Integrated Solution," providing one-stop coverage of the entire business chain from PLM R&D management and MES workshop execution to ERP group operations. According to disclosures at the "Beijing 6G Industrial Ecosystem Achievements Conference" during MWC Shanghai, Beijing has formed a complete 6G innovation matrix by aggregating operators, universities, and tech companies, ranking first nationally in the number of regional 6G key technology patent applications. Among the ten major technological advancements from the 2026 Beijing 6G Laboratory announced at the event, a 6G communication-computing integrated test platform specifically designed for humanoid robots was introduced, providing underlying network support for industrial trials of humanoid robots in automotive and logistics workshops in the second half of the year.

Trend Four: Surge in Demand for Smart Manufacturing Jobs

Industrial upgrading is profoundly reshaping Beijing's manufacturing employment landscape. There is a comprehensive shortage of digitally skilled composite talent in AI, embodied intelligence, and smart hardware. Job openings in the smart manufacturing sector are expanding rapidly with rising salaries, and companies are proactively collaborating with educational institutions for talent pipeline development. A report from Maimai indicates that the number of embodied intelligence-related job postings surged 15-fold year-on-year, with an average monthly salary reaching 62,000 yuan. Recruitment growth for smart manufacturing-related positions such as high-performance computing, robotics algorithms, embedded hardware, and planning/control algorithms all exceeded 100%, with high-performance computing engineer postings soaring by 1064.44%. The talent supply-demand ratio for this role is only 0.26, meaning roughly four job openings compete for one qualified candidate.

Core technical roles in smart manufacturing, such as AI scientist, AI infrastructure, IC design, and robotics algorithm engineer, rank among the highest-paid positions. AI scientists lead with an average monthly salary of 132,000 yuan, while IC design averages over 70,000 yuan per month. Talent in foundational areas like computing power, robotics, and chips commands significant salary premiums.

At the city level, the penetration rate of AI in new job postings in Beijing reached 30.17%, ranking first nationally. Three out of every ten new job postings are AI-related, with the most intense competition for talent occurring in smart manufacturing, smart vehicles, and semiconductors. Beijing Vocational University of Science and Technology has long-term partnerships with leading smart manufacturing enterprises in the region through定向订单班 (targeted order classes) and modern apprenticeship programs. Its partner list includes Yizhuang-based smart manufacturing leaders such as Xiaomi Auto, Beijing Benz, Baidu Smart Driving, SMIC, and NAURA. The university has established targeted training classes in new energy vehicles, industrial robots, and integrated circuits. It is also a key municipal-level industry-education integration consortium officially supported by the Economic and Technological Development Area. In June 2026, the Development Area's Federation of Trade Unions signed an agreement with the university to jointly establish an industrial worker training center, further deepening targeted talent cultivation.

The job market shows a clear structural shift: demand for traditional assembly line positions continues to shrink, while recruitment needs for new digital roles such as AI operations and digital twin engineers are growing year-on-year.

Important Considerations and Risks

Based on industry insights, three types of risks warrant attention from enterprises, investors, and job seekers during this period of accelerated industrial development.

First, beware of hype around pseudo-innovation themes. Many projects merely leverage AI or humanoid robot concepts to inflate valuations without possessing proprietary technology, stable production capacity, or confirmed orders. Scrutinizing companies based on three hard indicators—tangible products, confirmed orders, and long-term client partnerships—can help avoid conceptual traps.

Second, avoid blind digital transformation. Some manufacturers deploy software and hardware on a large scale without first identifying production pain points, resulting in high transformation costs and minimal efficiency gains. Following digital transformation guidelines from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and municipal authorities, enterprises should adopt a step-by-step approach, prioritizing the implementation of quick-win scenarios like intelligent quality inspection and predictive equipment maintenance to validate effectiveness before undertaking full-chain upgrades.

Third, guard against the hidden risk of overcapacity from herd behavior. In some popular sectors, a rush of companies leads to severe product homogenization. Price wars erode profit margins, squeezing R&D investment and ultimately damaging long-term competitiveness. Small and medium-sized enterprises can avoid direct competition on the main track by focusing on "small but beautiful" segments such as core components, supporting services, or niche application scenarios, building differentiated moats through a specialized, refined, and innovative development path.

Concluding Perspective

As the first half of the "15th Five-Year Plan" concludes, Beijing's smart manufacturing has moved beyond a superficial model of technological display, fully entering a new, pragmatic cycle of mass production and scenario-based implementation. It has become a core engine driving the high-quality development of the capital's industrial economy. With the accelerated implementation of new quality productive forces, Beijing's manufacturing sector is undergoing structural upgrading, continuously enhancing its industrial sophistication. High-tech manufacturing is leading industrial growth, solidifying the foundation for the city's real economy.

In the first half of this year, Beijing's smart manufacturing achieved growth in both scale and quality, demonstrating strong momentum with ample growth drivers in core sectors. Data shows steady growth in the added value of industrial enterprises above a designated size from January to May, with a significant surge in high-tech manufacturing. Production capacity and output of hard-core smart manufacturing products like industrial robots and new energy vehicles continued to climb. Concurrently, characteristic and advantageous industries such as commercial aerospace and integrated circuits made continuous breakthroughs. Over 80% of manufacturing enterprises above a designated size in the city have completed digital transformation, with clusters of smart factories and lighthouse factories taking shape, essentially establishing an industrial development pattern characterized by intelligence and scale.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, Beijing's smart manufacturing development momentum will continue to be released, driven by multiple favorable factors propelling industrial upgrading. Key production lines for new energy vehicles and power batteries will concentrate on commencing operations, with industrial cluster capacity continuously ramping up. Coupled with municipal-level special subsidies and digital transformation support policies, industrial implementation efficiency will be significantly enhanced. Simultaneously, industrial AI and humanoid robots will deeply empower the entire production chain, domestic substitution of high-end equipment will accelerate, and deep industry-education integration will help address talent gaps. Beijing's smart manufacturing is steadily solidifying an indigenous and controllable industrial model, entering a new stage of high-quality development.