A panoramic view of the Qianjiang New City, Hangzhou's CBD. [Photo/IC]

Hangzhou launched City Brain 3.0 on March 31, marking a major step toward AI-powered urban governance.

The initiative introduces the DeepSeek-R1 model, making Hangzhou one of the first cities in China to integrate AI-driven self-evolving digital intelligence into urban management.

City Brain 3.0 enhances public services through AI-powered virtual assistants. For example, Jingxiao'ai, a virtual police officer, offers 24/7 legal and administrative assistance, quickly guiding residents through tasks like household registration applications. Hanghaomeng, China's first AI expert in mental health, has already served 1.8 million users, providing online consultations for sleep disorders. Yibao'er, an AI system developed by the city's healthcare bureau, streamlines medical insurance inquiries and transactions.

Beyond public services, City Brain 3.0 optimizes city operations using digital twin technology and AI analytics. For example, the Survey Smart Guardian system enables real-time monitoring of geological surveys, preventing construction risks. Since its launch, it has processed 1,743 projects and issued 2,434 risk alerts. Moreover, Hangzhou is expanding its One Network Unified Management system, integrating real-time city data to enhance urban planning, safety, and public services.

City Brain is also driving AI adoption in industries. Companies in Hangzhou are using AI for low-altitude flight management, deep-layer road risk detection, and chemical trade regulation, reducing export costs by 30 percent and facilitating 200 million yuan ($27.5 million) in cross-border data transactions.

With City Brain 3.0, Hangzhou is pioneering AI-driven governance, making city management smarter, safer and more efficient, setting a model for other global smart cities.

The water surveillance system of Hangzhou's City Brain 2.0 helps prevent floods and urban waterlogging. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]