As the global computing power race shifts from "competing on models" to "competing on infrastructure," a contest centered on the AI hardware industry chain is quietly unfolding in Guangdong. From multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs) and liquid cooling plates to chip manufacturing, the demand for computing power is transmitting upstream along the industrial chain, transforming the wealth of resources accumulated by the "world's factory" over decades into a trump card for global competition in the AI era.

In 2025, the scale of Guangdong's core AI industry surpassed 300 billion yuan, accounting for about one-quarter of the national total. Behind this rapid expansion is the collective breakthrough of a group of Guangdong enterprises in hardware sectors such as PCBs, liquid cooling and chips, propelling the industry toward the upper end of the value chain. Practitioners deeply appreciate Guangdong's advantages in industrial agglomeration. Li Xiangbing, chairman of Winshare Thermal, noted that everything from copper surface treatment and precision machining to the procurement of most components can be completed locally. The customer base is also highly concentrated in Guangdong, encompassing both top-tier server manufacturers and second-tier clients like Tsinghua Tongfang and JONHON, allowing the entire upstream and downstream chain to connect seamlessly here.

In the view of Zhang Yin, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the Guangdong Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Industry Alliance, Guangdong's confidence lies in the bedrock of its electronic information manufacturing sector. The province boasts full coverage of 31 major industrial categories, with 70% of core robot component enterprises concentrated in the Pearl River Delta and an average response cycle of just one week for complete machine component supply. In 2025, the scale of Guangdong's core AI industry exceeded 300 billion yuan, up by more than 40% year on year, accounting for one-quarter of the national total. As of April 2026, 142 large AI models had completed national registration, and over 430 domain-specific AI models had been deployed, keeping the province firmly in the country's top tier.

抢滩算力“底座”，粤企竞逐产业新高地

当全球算力竞赛从“拼模型”转向“拼底座”，一场围绕AI硬件产业链的较量正在广东悄然展开。从多层PCB电路板，到液冷板，再到芯片制造，算力需求正沿着产业链向上游层层传导，把“世界工厂”数十年攒下的家底，变成AI时代参与全球竞争的底牌。

2025年，广东人工智能核心产业规模突破3000亿元、约占全国四分之一。规模快速攀升的背后，是一批粤企在PCB、液冷、芯片等硬件环节集体爆发，推动产业向价值链上游突围。广东的产业集聚优势让从业者深有体会，文轩热能董事长李向兵表示，从铜材表面处理、精密加工到大部分零部件采购均可在本地完成。客户群体也高度集中在广东，既包括一线服务器厂商，也包括清华同方、中航光电等二线客户，整个上下游链条在此紧密衔接。

在广东省人工智能与机器人产业联盟副理事长兼秘书长张崟看来，广东的底气在电子信息制造这块“底盘”：31个工业大类全覆盖，机器人核心零部件企业70%集聚在珠三角，整机配套响应周期平均仅1周。2025年，广东AI核心产业规模突破3000亿元，同比增长超40%，占全国四分之一；截至2026年4月，142个大模型通过国家备案，430余个行业模型落地，稳居全国第一方阵。

文 | 记者 莫谨榕
译 | 陈冠臻
审 | 曾敏