Tianhe district has secured approval for seven new generative artificial intelligence services in the latest provincial filing round, a single-batch record for the district and a clear signal of its maturing AI ecosystem. The figure was part of 32 new services approved across Guangdong province.

AI is one of Tianhe's priority industries. Home to more than 1,000 AI companies, the district combines talent, capital, computing power, data and real-world application scenarios into an interconnected innovation ecosystem that supports both industry giants and early-stage startups.

XPeng's technology park in Tianhe Smart City, where autonomous driving, AI and flying car R&D share one campus. [Photo/Nanfang Plus]

The cluster spans the full chain. Automaker XPeng, which began in Tianhe in 2004, now positions itself as a physical AI company with a complete embodied intelligence chain covering research, pilot testing, and mass production. Frontop Digital Creative has expanded from digital twins into a physical AI data foundation. Tec-Do Technology uses AI agents to help Chinese brands expand overseas, serving hundreds of thousands of enterprises in more than 200 countries and regions. Seclead Digital Technology relocated its headquarters from Hangzhou in 2024 and now provides AI-driven digital security for key government applications.

According to local companies, Tianhe's proximity to universities, customers, and application scenarios makes it easier to validate products locally before expanding nationwide.