Chinese automaker embeds AI across manufacturing and customer service
SERES Group, a Chinese electric vehicle maker, is moving beyond smart driving features to integrate artificial intelligence throughout its operations-from factory floors to customer support systems.
Clifford Kang, vice president of SERES, presented the company's AI strategy at the World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit in Hong Kong this week. He described a shift where AI moves from isolated functions to becoming embedded across the entire value chain.
Scale in smart driving
SERES' premium brand AITO, launched in partnership with Huawei in 2021, now has more than 880,000 active users of its smart driving assistance system. Those users have collectively driven more than 6.6 billion kilometres.
The brand positioned itself around "Intelligence Redefining Luxury," betting that buyers wanted intelligent features in premium vehicles-a gap the company saw in the market at the time.
Manufacturing and quality control
At SERES' Super Factory, more than 5,000 robots handle critical production processes with full automation. AI vision inspection technology monitors key components to maintain quality standards.
In 2025, the company invested 12.5 billion yuan in research and development, a 77% increase year-over-year. That funding developed core technologies including the SERES MF Platform, a range extender system, and safety systems now used across the product line.
Predictive customer service
SERES operates a 24/7 cloud-based safety service system that uses AI and data analysis to predict problems before customers encounter them. In 2025 alone, the system sent approximately 250,000 proactive alerts.
Last July, an AITO M9 completed the first satellite-enabled rescue operation in a remote region of China-a real-world application of the company's connected vehicle technology.
What this means for product teams
For product development professionals, SERES' approach shows how AI for Product Development extends beyond features into operations. The company's use of AI Agents & Automation in manufacturing and service delivery demonstrates where the efficiency gains actually compound.
Kang emphasized that "a great product alone is not enough." The company's strategy focuses on the entire lifecycle user experience-from design through manufacturing to post-sale support.
He also noted that no single company can drive this transformation alone. SERES is actively seeking partnerships with other organizations to advance the sector.
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