Under the backdrop of the vigorous development of artificial intelligence and the software industry, Shanghai recently released the "Several Measures for Promoting the High-quality Development of the Software and Information Service Industry in Shanghai." The release of this policy aims to further promote the sustained growth of the city's software and information service industry. According to the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Information Technology, the relevant measures include 17 specific initiatives that will provide corresponding support to enterprises at different stages of development.

Data shows that from the beginning of 2023 to May, the total revenue of the software and information service industry in Shanghai has already exceeded 690 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 20.4%, far exceeding the national average of 14.3%. The software and information technology service industry has become the main driver of growth, with a revenue scale of about 360 billion yuan, growing by 27.1%.

Investment, financing, money

A major highlight of this policy is the reward mechanism for high-quality enterprises. Enterprises with annual revenue exceeding 2 billion yuan and growth rates higher than the city's average will receive rewards; while small and medium-sized enterprises can also receive tiered rewards of up to 30 million yuan based on their size. In addition, small enterprises can also receive one-time growth rewards ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 yuan to encourage more enterprises to innovate and develop.

In terms of artificial intelligence applications, Shanghai will support cloud service providers in building model-as-a-service platforms, reducing the costs for enterprises during the process of model calling and deployment through "computing vouchers," promoting the application of large models in industries such as manufacturing and finance, and providing subsidies of up to 30% for outstanding projects. At the same time, the policy also supports AI code generation and software AI transformation, with top projects eligible for subsidies of up to 50%.

Shanghai has also introduced differentiated support measures for areas such as high-end software, digital content, digital technology, and data elements, promoting services such as innovation incubation and transaction financing. In addition, the policy explicitly proposes to reduce the costs of enterprise R&D, financing, network usage, and human resources to promote more efficient development.

Beyond that, all districts in Shanghai have achieved positive growth in the software and information service industry, with the central urban areas such as Yangpu and Putuo recording growth rates of 25% and 22.6%, respectively. Policy support has injected new vitality into the sustainable development of enterprises, attracting and retaining high-end talents, and achieving a promising development prospect.