AI innovations to bolster Xizang’s digital economy

The Xizang Autonomous Region is embarking on an ambitious technological transformation, with artificial intelligence spearheading its digital economy expansion throughout 2026. This strategic direction was formally outlined in the regional government’s work report presented during the recent legislative session, highlighting a comprehensive push toward technological modernization.

Regional Chairman Karma Tsetan emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing computing infrastructure and integrating advanced digital solutions across various sectors. The initiative represents a significant component of Xizang’s broader economic development strategy, combining technological advancement with cultural preservation.

Leading this digital revolution is Xizang Jueluo Digital Industry Management Co, a pioneering firm specializing in Tibetan-language AI systems and data management. After eight years of intensive research and development, the company has launched “DeepZang” – the first large language model specifically designed for the Tibetan language.

Company President Tenzin Norbu explained how DeepZang aligns with global AI trends while addressing regional needs. “Our technology applies Tibetan-language AI across critical domains including healthcare, education, and ecological conservation,” Norbu stated. The company has proposed establishing a national open-source data center for Tibetan-Chinese bilingual resources to further cultural preservation efforts.

The technological achievements are substantial: DeepZang supports bilingual interactions across 140 languages, incorporates a Tibetan-Chinese parallel corpus of 70 million sentences, and achieves speech recognition accuracy exceeding 98%. These innovations have already registered as intellectual property and received national algorithm certification.

Digital transformation has yielded tangible benefits across Xizang’s public sector. Smart governance and digital education solutions have modernized operations within 14 regional departments, significantly improving administrative efficiency and connectivity.

Supported by national policies and central government investment, Xizang’s digital infrastructure has experienced rapid growth. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the regional digital economy maintained an average annual growth rate of 10%. Preliminary 2025 figures indicate output reaching 14 billion yuan ($2 billion) in the first three quarters, with projections exceeding 20 billion yuan for the full year.

The region currently hosts 62 large-scale digital enterprises that generated 11.44 billion yuan in revenue through October 2025, alongside 169 national high-tech companies and 22 national-level innovation bases. For 2026, regional authorities aim to establish five additional major digital enterprises and strengthen Xizang’s position as an emerging technology hub.

Beyond economic metrics, the technology carries profound cultural significance. Chakdor Drolma, a student at Xizang University of Tibetan Medicine, noted: “Tibetan-language AI development helps promote our traditional culture while ensuring the script remains actively used and preserved for future generations.”