Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1537288
74 tobaccoasia Issue 4, 2025 July / August By TobaccoChina Online With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, its application in the Chi- nese tobacco industry has gradually deepened, becoming a key force driving the industry's digital transformation. Since 2024, numerous AI application cases have emerged within the tobacco industry, demonstrating AI's immense potential in enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and op- timizing user experience. Entering 2025, the popularity of AI programs and tools like DeepSeek has further accelerated the tobacco industry's intelligent transformation, forming a comprehen- sive technological application chain spanning from computing power infrastructure to model deployment and real-world implementation. Preliminary exploration and practice of AI Since 2024, the tobacco industry has begun exploring the application of AI technology at the retail end, primarily focusing on specific scenarios such as AI-powered unmanned e-cigarette stores. Through intelligent recognition and data analytics, these systems accurately gauge con- sumer demand and enable efficient inventory management. Simultaneously, AI-powered cus- tomer service provides 24/7 online support, enhancing user experience and reducing operational costs. These innovative initiatives not only demonstrate AI's immense potential in the retail sec- tor but also lay the foundation for the digital transformation of the tobacco industry. With the rise of large models like DeepSeek, the industry entered a phase of systematic deployment in 2025, forming a complete technological chain from computing infrastructure to model deployment and scenario implementation. Take Chengdu Branch under China To- bacco (Sichuan) Commercial Corporation as an example; it successfully completed the local- ized deployment of DeepSeek-R1, building a self-controlled intelligent platform by integrating existing CPU, memory, and GPU resources. This hybrid computing architecture ensures sys- The Application of AI in China's Tobacco Industry: From Exploration to Deep Integration AI applications directly address pain points in quality control during the production process.