For artificial intelligence to truly live up to its potential as a general purpose technology, it needs to power more than just chatbots. It needs to drive smarter processes across manufacturing and R&D, delivering immediate solutions to real-world industrial challenges.
This directive is at the core of the 2025 TCL Global Technology Innovation Conference in China. Here, the global technology company TCL showcased how its ‘AI for Real’ vision is advancing intelligent manufacturing, reimagining smart living, and driving sustainability.
TCL’s advancements in display technology, AI-driven consumer devices, and eco-friendly manufacturing stand as a testament to its commitment to making technology smarter, greener, and more human-centric. With US$8.4 billion invested in R&D over the past six years and a bold vision for the future, TCL is demonstrating how practical innovation is an engine of meaningful, measurable impact.
From Factory to Living Room: Redefining AI for Real Life
AI has become the buzzword of the 21st century across the tech industry and beyond. But according to Li Dongsheng, Founder and Chairman of TCL, the true power of AI lies in its ability to address immediate needs in the real world. “At TCL, we focus on ‘AI for Real’ — making sure AI truly takes root in products, technologies, and industries to create real, tangible value,” said Li.
This commitment is already generating results: TCL’s AI applications are projected to deliver US$140 million in economic benefits in 2025, with measurable outcomes across every layer of its business ecosystem. As Kevin Wang, COO of TCL Technology Group Corporation, said, “With the theme ‘AI for Real’, TIC aims to explore with industry partners how to move from technology to real-world scenarios, and to create tangible, measurable, and sustainable value across every stage of manufacturing, every product, and every service.”
Leading the Way in Intelligent Manufacturing
At the heart of TCL’s innovation story is its focus on intelligent manufacturing, a space where the company’s proprietary AI-driven systems provide a sharp competitive edge. For example, TCL’s subsidiary TCL CSOT, a global leader in advanced display technologies, has developed X-Intelligence 3.0, a next-generation AI-powered platform designed specifically for industrial applications.
It is the display industry’s first domain-specific large AI model featuring advanced reasoning capabilities that empower and seamlessly integrate AI across multiple display scenarios — from general to professional and innovative applications. This system has transformed TCL CSOT’s display manufacturing process, delivering a 20% improvement in product issue analysis efficiency and a 30% boost in materials development efficiency.
Another key achievement of TCL CSOT is its leadership in pioneering Inkjet-printed OLED (IJP OLED) displays. By scaling this technology into large-scale commercial production, TCL CSOT is enabling energy-efficient, high-performance screens for next-gen devices, including foldable displays, gaming monitors, and more.
Dr. Yan Xiaolin, CTO of TCL Technology, CTO of TCL CSOT, President of TCL Research said, “From Auto Defect Classification (ADC) to Auto Defect Repair (ADR), and from individual applications to full-scale deployment, TCL has achieved end-to-end automation encompassing inspection, evaluation, and repair processes — generating annual revenue more than US$7 million.”
Bringing AI into Everyday Life: Smarter Living with Consumer Devices
TCL’s vision for AI doesn’t stop at the factory. At its annal TIC conference, TCL Industries demonstrated how AI is enhancing daily life through proactive sensing, decision-making, and natural interaction, helping households stay healthier, smarter, and more energy-efficient. For example:
- Healthier, Greener Homes: The TCL FreshIN AI Healthy Fresh Air Series reduces nighttime energy consumption by up to 40%, extends deep sleep by 25%, and removes up to 99% of indoor pollutants with advanced purification technology.
- Smarter Appliances: TCL’s AI-powered refrigerators maintain food at peak quality with ±0.5℃ precision cooling, while its AI-enabled washing machines — driven by the Fuxi large language model — automatically identify fabric types, weigh loads, and detect stains to generate fully customized wash cycles.
- Immersive Entertainment: TCL’s intelligent TVs go beyond traditional screens, interpreting complex voice commands and optimizing picture and sound frame-by-frame. The result is a home viewing experience that delivers director-grade color and adaptive audio, immersing viewers in entertainment like never before.
- AR and AI on the Go: With the RayNeo X3 Pro AR Glasses, TCL is bringing AI outside the home, delivering features like real-time translation, live interaction, and image recognition — making global communication seamless. And TCL AiMe, the world’s first modular AI companion robot designed as a lifelike family partner, redefines meaningful connections with AI in daily life through emotional recognition and human-like interaction.
TCL’s consumer innovations showcase how AI can seamlessly integrate into everyday routines, improving users’ lives.
Sustainability as a Strategic Imperative
In a world increasingly focused on environmental impact, TCL is embedding sustainability into its innovation roadmap. Through its TCLGreen global initiative, the company is committing to eco-conscious practices, from renewable materials in production to energy-saving technologies in consumer devices.
Highlighted efforts include:
- Eco-Friendly Manufacturing: Advanced processes, powered by AI, minimize material waste and optimize energy use in production.
- Sustainability Partnerships: Collaborations with upstream suppliers and downstream partners ensure TCL’s entire value chain aligns with global sustainability goals.
By blending advanced technology with eco-friendly practices, TCL is setting a new standard for what it means to innovate responsibly.
Collaboration and Scale: A Formula for Global Leadership
Another key driver of TCL’s success is its global, collaborative approach to R&D. Over the past six years, TCL has filed over 110,000 patents worldwide, including breakthroughs in display technologies like IJP OLED and EL-QD. The company is also advancing its US$2.8 billion “Rising Sun Project,” an innovation initiative aimed at fostering collaborations with universities, startups, and industry leaders.
This expansive ecosystem enables TCL to scale its innovations rapidly, from creating the world’s first 8.6-generation IJP OLED production line to launching consumer products that redefine categories.
The Path Ahead: A Smarter, Greener, More Human-Centric Future with ‘AI for Real’
As demand for smarter, more sustainable solutions continues to grow, TCL is seizing this moment to lead. The company’s ‘AI for Real’ philosophy is emblematic of a future where technology doesn’t just push the boundaries of performance but also delivers measurable, people-focused outcomes.
By prioritizing innovation that enhances not only efficiency but also human well-being and sustainability, TCL is proving that technology can inspire greatness — for people and the planet.
