During a critical period of cultivating new quality productive forces, the Lucheng District Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) has anchored its efforts in the industrial foundation of the "China Shoe Capital," focusing on the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. A special consultative meeting titled "Empowering the Footwear Industry with 'AI+' for High-Quality Development" was convened.

The meeting brought together diverse perspectives from industry practitioners, academic institutions, and government departments, addressing both immediate challenges and long-term strategies. CPPCC members proposed recommendations spanning technology implementation, ecosystem development, enterprise breakthroughs, and regional growth, collectively outlining a clear roadmap for Lucheng's footwear industry to achieve "AI-driven high-quality development."

Moving forward, Lucheng District will prioritize scenario-driven innovation, policy coordination, and talent cultivation to transition the footwear industry from "experience-driven" to "data-and-intelligence-driven," setting an example for fostering new quality productive forces during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

**Focusing on Full-Chain Upgrades: Building a New "AI+Footwear" Paradigm** Amid global market shifts and evolving consumer demands, shifting footwear production from "mass manufacturing" to "intelligent value-added" has become a core consensus in Lucheng's industrial development. CPPCC members emphasized the need for systematic integration of AI technology across the entire footwear supply chain.

In the design phase, unlocking data-driven creativity is key. To date, 55 footwear enterprises in Lucheng, including Kangnai and Laorentou, have adopted AI design, 3D modeling, and 3D printing solutions, reducing product design cycles from 7–15 days to just 2–3 days while cutting designers' workload by approximately 60%.

Hu Liang, CPPCC Standing Committee member and Chairman of Zhejiang Yilian Network Technology Co., Ltd., proposed establishing a global footwear materials database and multi-regional foot characteristic database. He suggested leveraging AI-generated content (AIGC) for assisted design, combining footwear databases and consumer preference data to generate design solutions. AI-powered virtual simulations could further assess durability and comfort, minimizing physical testing costs.

For manufacturing, Pan Jianzhong, President of Wenzhou Footwear & Leather Association and Chairman of Juyi Group, advocated for AI-driven production upgrades to enhance responsiveness and delivery precision. Juyi Group’s provincial-level industrial internet platform, integrating AI scheduling, IoT-enabled equipment, and AGV logistics, has reduced assembly line staff from 60 to 25, boosted productivity by 30%, and cut adhesive usage by 30%, earning recognition as a 2024 provincial AI application benchmark enterprise.

Bi Dongliang, CPPCC member and Deputy Director of Wenzhou Footwear Industry Research Institute, highlighted intelligent inspection systems, urging wider adoption of AI quality control technologies, especially multi/cross-modal defect recognition systems. An "AI+blockchain" traceability platform covering "raw materials-production-inspection-sales" could shift quality management from passive detection to proactive prevention.

The Lucheng District Bureau of Economy and Information Technology announced plans to deepen AI empowerment in footwear, advancing breakthroughs across the supply chain. Key initiatives include an "AI Design Empowerment Project" and an "Intelligent Manufacturing Upgrade Project," alongside establishing a shared industry center for "3D printing+AI prototyping" and expanding digital transformation coverage among large-scale footwear enterprises.

**Strengthening the Industrial Ecosystem: Tackling Bottlenecks and Fostering Collaboration** While acknowledging AI’s transformative potential, CPPCC members identified ecosystem gaps as critical barriers to large-scale adoption.

A pre-meeting survey by the CPPCC Economic Committee revealed challenges such as insufficient customized AI models for footwear production, long response times, and high costs. The committee proposed dual measures: creating an "AI+Footwear" innovation hub in zones like China (Wenzhou) Intelligent Valley and Western Fashion City to nurture local AI service providers, and forming an expert committee by pooling resources from Zhejiang University and Sichuan University’s Wenzhou Footwear Research Institute to guide enterprise AI transformation.

Collaboration extends beyond AI. Li Yiman, CPPCC member and Deputy Director of Wenzhou Economic Construction Planning Institute, stressed synergizing five areas—"innovative design," "intelligent/digital transformation," "global expansion," "brand awakening," and "enterprise cultivation"—to propel high-quality growth.

Talent remains pivotal. Bai Hongcheng, General Manager of Xinerdai Urban Sci-Tech Park, called for stronger policy incentives to attract and retain high-end designers and interdisciplinary AI talent, proposing targeted measures for roles like footwear AI algorithm engineers and digital process managers.

To address talent shortages, Lucheng will expand校企定制培养 (school-enterprise customized training) and specialized programs like digital management, while incentivizing footwear firms to recruit innovation teams in AI design and smart manufacturing.

**Charting the Future: Synergizing Industrial Leapfrogging and Shared Prosperity** CPPCC members and industry leaders framed technological advancement within broader regional economic development.

Shan Linxi, CPPCC member and General Manager of Zhejiang Taiji Footwear Co., Ltd., noted challenges like订单结构与渠道结构“双分化” (dual polarization in order and channel structures). She recommended building a "global procurement+cross-border integrated service" one-stop platform via Wenzhou Global Trade Port, complemented by flagship events like "Shoe Capital Selection Week+International Procurement Week" to stabilize global buyer engagement.

AI+marketing is already fueling new growth. For instance, AI algorithms have driven GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) at Douyin’s footwear livestreaming base to exceed RMB 2 billion in 2024.

Extending AI from design/production to marketing/services, Kangnai Group is leveraging AI to close the B2C value loop. Zheng Laili, President of Lucheng Footwear Association and CEO of Kangnai Group, described AI as a "golden key" for Lucheng to seize new opportunities, advocating a full-chain AI system encompassing "design+intelligent manufacturing+marketing/services" to enhance product competitiveness and brand influence through global trend analysis.

In 2024, Lucheng’s footwear industry achieved RMB 15.25 billion in total output value (up 10.9% YoY) and RMB 3.55 billion in added value (up 11.2% YoY), ranking first citywide. The sector has consistently earned provincial accolades, including Digital Trade Innovation Zone, SME Digital Transformation Pilot, and Modern Textile & Apparel Cluster Collaboration Zone.

Going forward, Lucheng will harness its "AI+" initiative to strengthen data infrastructure, attract top talent, and pioneer benchmark applications, driving the footwear industry’s leap from traditional manufacturing to high-end, intelligent production.