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Ahead of the opening of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress on Thursday, Qi Xiangdong, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of Chinese cybersecurity firm Qi An Xin Technology Group, said in an interview with the Global Times that it is not surprising that the US used the artificial intelligence (AI) technology in its strike against Iran.

Qi Xiangdong, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of Qi An Xin Group, speaks with the Global Times on March 5, 2026. Photo: Screenshot of a video shot by Chen Qingqing

He noted that China's AI development is particularly strong and that future development prospects are promising.

Media outlets reported that the US and Israel employed AI technologies in the strikes on Iran, which sparked discussions about the military use of AI.

Anthropic's AI model, Claude, was reportedly used by the US military in the barrage of strikes as the technology "shortens the kill chain," reported The Guardian on Tuesday.

"All advanced technologies, when they were first developed, were initially applied to military purposes. Therefore, it is not surprising that the US made comprehensive use of AI technology in its strike against Iran," Qi told the Global Times.

Speaking of China's AI technology, Qi said that the industry has developed very well, and its application scenarios are also performing well, noting that China is now driven by a strategy of building a technology-innovation-powered nation.

"I believe our future development prospects are promising," Qi said.

Last year, the focus on AI technology was mainly on large models, which were still at a relatively early stage of AI development. This year, however, attention has shifted toward the practical application of AI, Qi said.

For large models to integrate into every aspect of social life and empower a wide range of industries, the key lies in the development of intelligent agents, embodied intelligence, and humanoid robots, he noted.

"This year, the implementation of AI in the field of embodied intelligence has largely been realized, and the market is gradually reaching maturity. By 2026, it is expected that we will see a wide range of embodied intelligent devices — whether wheeled, multi-legged, or in other forms — operating both indoors and outdoors, across cities and communities, providing various services for people," Qi said.