Enterprise AI Expands into Core Workflows as China Software Sector Pivots to Native Systems

Chinese enterprise AI adoption is transitioning from point-solution productivity tools to AI-native operating systems embedded in core business workflows, according to reporting by People's Daily. Reflecting this shift, enterprise software provider Kingdee International reported a 189% year-on-year increase in revenue from AI-native products for the first half of 2026, driven by nearly 300% growth in related subscription revenue. The figures highlight growing corporate willingness among Fortune 500 companies and specialized manufacturers to pay for intelligent automation in core business functions, including procurement, bank reconciliation, and financial closing.

The shift from pilot concepts to commercial software subscriptions demonstrates that enterprise AI in China is moving beyond generative chat interfaces into foundational enterprise resource planning (ERP). Triple-digit growth in AI-native subscription contracts indicates that large corporations are beginning to trust autonomous agent systems with critical accounting, procurement, and administrative controls.

Artificial intelligence applications across Chinese industry are rapidly moving beyond standalone efficiency utilities into core business operations, restructuring enterprise workflows and management frameworks, according to a report by People's Daily. Domestic enterprise management software providers are increasingly shifting product architectures from traditional 'AI-enabled' add-ons toward fully 'AI-native' platforms designed to handle complex decision-making and operational tasks. Demonstrating this commercial momentum, Chinese enterprise software vendor Kingdee International reported in its 2026 interim financial results that revenue from AI-native products surged 189% year on year. Subscription revenue within that segment expanded by nearly 300%, alongside substantial growth in total signed contract value. Kingdee's enterprise agent operating system, known as 'Lingji,' has been deployed across critical operational areas, including finance, supply chain management, and procurement. The system is designed to automate and streamline intensive operational processes such as expense audits, bank-enterprise account reconciliation, and period-end financial closing, reducing manual labor overhead and shortening transaction cycles. According to company disclosures cited in the report, Kingdee has deployed digital and intelligent transformation solutions across 70 Fortune Global 500 enterprises, 381 China Fortune 500 corporations, and roughly half of the country's national-level 'Little Giant' enterprises—specialized and innovative small-to-medium manufacturers. 'In the AI era, enterprises do not need just another tool, but rather a secure, reliable enterprise agent operating system that can be entrusted with operational decision-making,' Kingdee Group Chairman and CEO Xu Shaochun said, stating that recent commercial results validate the industry's shift toward native AI architectures. Industry analysts note that as large-scale industrial demand for fine-grained cost control and automated compliance grows, enterprise-grade AI is poised to play an increasingly central role in upgrading China's broader real economy and digital infrastructure.