Key facts
- China Mobile has established a new group-level Token Office.
- The office is tasked with commercializing artificial intelligence tokens and standardizing their lifecycle.
- This initiative aims to scale AI services from pilot projects to nationwide deployment.
- China Mobile's strategy positions it as a utility provider for the AI economy.
- Other Chinese telecom operators, like China Telecom and Shanghai Telecom, are also rolling out token-based plans and services.
- These plans are being bundled with services like broadband speed boosts and cybersecurity.
China Mobile, the world's largest telecommunications operator by subscribers, has established a new group-level Token Office to commercialize artificial intelligence tokens and standardize their lifecycle. This strategic move aims to transition AI services from pilot projects to standardized, nationwide deployment at scale, positioning the company as a central utility for the burgeoning AI economy.
The initiative aligns with China's broader "East Data, West Computing" national strategy, ensuring that fundamental digital economy building blocks remain under state oversight. This provides a regulated, state-sanctioned alternative to private sector AI development models.
In the nomenclature of generative AI, a "token" represents the atomic unit of data processed by Large Language Models (LLMs). By seeking to dominate the flow of these units, China Mobile is effectively attempting to verticalize the AI supply chain, bridging the gap between raw bandwidth and intelligent output. This echoes sentiments from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who has stated that tokens have become "assets" and primary revenue-generating units.
This organizational overhaul follows similar moves by other Chinese telecom carriers. China Telecom launched trial token-based plans for developers, small businesses, households, and individual users, with pricing ranging from 39.9 yuan ($5.5) to 299.9 yuan per month, offering monthly token allowances from 15 million to 250 million. Shanghai Telecom also rolled out token-based operations, providing subscribers with free quotas. In parallel, China Mobile in Shanghai introduced a universal token service for consumer and office scenarios, allowing users to access different AI platforms under a single account and pay through phone bills. The carrier has also partnered with Tencent Holdings to introduce an AI-native workspace platform targeting consumers and small businesses, offering 400,000 tokens for 1 yuan.