China Ranks Third in Global AI Competitiveness Index for Life Sciences

China ranked third in a new global index measuring competitiveness in AI for biotechnology, healthcare and longevity. The ranking comes as the application of AI shifts from chatbots and general-purpose models into regulated, data-heavy industries such as drug discovery, diagnostics and preventive medicine.

China received a score of 85.3, which the report said reflects major scale in AI, biotechnology and talent. Switzerland and Germany followed in the country-level listing. China's National Health Commission and four other agencies, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission, rolled out a plan late last year to accelerate AI adoption across the healthcare sector.

Under the plan, the country will push for AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment in primary-level institutions by 2030. These institutions, mainly hospitals and clinics that provide primary care, would make AI-enabled healthcare available nationwide once the goal is met.

Kong placed third among 20 city-level innovation hubs in the index, behind Boston and San Francisco but ahead of London and New York City. The report said the city's strengths lie in capital-market access, institutional credibility, governed deployment conditions and its strengthening interface with the Greater Bay Area.

Hong Kong's 2025 Policy Address framed AI-enabled healthcare as part of a wider life-sciences infrastructure push rather than a stand-alone software opportunity. The index highlights how governments are directing resources toward integrating AI into healthcare systems facing capacity constraints.