Cutting-edge technological solutions, including artificial intelligence, are playing a crucial role in advancing high-quality development in China's lighting industry and driving industrial transformation, according to industry insiders.

"As new technologies drive industrial transformation, we are actively responding to this trend by integrating AI and optoelectronics technologies to form a new growth engine for the lighting industry," said He Ye, vice-president of the China National Light Industry Council and chairman of the China Association of Lighting Industry.

He made the remarks on Tuesday during the opening ceremony of an international lighting fair in Guzhen, a township in Zhongshan, Guangdong province. The event featured innovative achievements such as intelligent perception light control systems and adaptive health lighting algorithms.

More than 100,000 products are being showcased during the four-day event, including intelligent, home, commercial and outdoor lighting, as well as specialty lighting fixtures, machinery and auxiliary accessories.

"With the accelerated integration of technological and industrial innovation, the lighting industry is undergoing an intelligent transformation," He said.

Guzhen, often dubbed China's lighting capital, contributes more than 70 percent of the country's lighting production. Many local lighting companies participated in the exhibition, showcasing intelligent lighting products and AI-powered solutions.

"Full-spectrum and emotion-based lighting technologies are widely used by local companies in intelligent lighting devices and solutions for smart security, smart cities and digital cultural tourism," He said.

China's recent policies promoting the renewal of home decoration, kitchen and bathroom products will provide policy guidance and create new opportunities for the lighting industry to support urbanization and industrial modernization, helping drive the recovery of the domestic lighting market, He said.

"Intelligent lighting products and solutions will be increasingly in demand," he added.

New lighting products leveraging emerging technologies such as AI have significantly boosted added value and increased sales in both domestic and overseas markets, according to Lan Xionghao, a sales manager with Hanshi Lighting Electrical Appliances Co.

"We have introduced the latest intelligent lighting products featuring AI applications that automatically adjust brightness for home decorations, aiming to attract more customers," Lan said.

Guzhen has accelerated technological innovation and industrial application in recent years, with 126 high-tech lighting enterprises emerging and utilizing new productive forces to drive innovation in the industry.

Nearly 70 percent of the township's enterprises above a designated size have undergone digital transformation and intelligent development, laying the groundwork for broader AI adoption, according to the local government.

A conference themed "AI Empowering High-Quality Development of the Lighting Industry "will be held on Wednesday on the sidelines of the exhibition, focusing on the deep integration of AI with the lighting industry, event organizers said.

During the fair's opening ceremony, investment agreements totaling more than 3 billion yuan ($415.33 million) were signed for a group of AI-enabled lighting industry projects and low-altitude economic smart manufacturing projects. These investments aim to support the industry's shift from cost-reduction strategies to intelligent, value-added competition.

The local government plans to allocate 20 hectares of industrial land in 2025 to attract high-quality projects and drive comprehensive upgrades in the lighting sector.

qiuquanlin@chinadaily.com.cn