Huaqiangbei sub-district government released an AI sales heat map in a livestream event on Tuesday, offering a compass for investors and merchants hunting for the next big thing in the field.
The color-coded heat map, compiled with sales figures from Huaqiangbei merchants, indicated that demand for drones is red-hot, while learning gadgets have surged due to the back-to-school shopping spree, and smart wearables are growing steadily.
Known as the "cradle of hardware innovation", Huaqiangbei in Futian district of Shenzhen hosts a complex technology ecosystem, housing 35 specialized electronics markets and totaling some 115,000 merchants.
This dense industrial cluster enables entrepreneurs to complete product testing, device configuration, and production arrangements within 1.45 square kilometers — a feat enabled by its "one-stop R&D-to-manufacturing" infrastructure.
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The heat map is another initiative by the Huaqiangbei sub-district government to guide dealers and consumers navigating the variety of products on offer.
Before the Chinese New Year, the sub-district government launched the Huaqiangbei AI Top Eight (华强北AI八骏), a shopping guide ranking top-selling products in eight categories: drones, robots, AI eyewear, AI toys, AI watches, AI translators, AI learning devices, and AI speakers.
The list, compiled from sales data across the district’s markets over the past two months, reflects what is actually moving off shelves.
According to the sub-district government, overall technology product sales in Huaqiangbei have surged by more than 35 percent since the launch. Sales of AI toys rocketed 200 percent, drones 90 percent, AI eyewear 80 percent, AI watches and translators each 40 percent, robots and AI learning devices each 30 percent, and AI speakers 20 percent.
This article is translated by China Daily from the original report in Chinese as published on Xingfu Futian (幸福福田), a WeChat public account of Shenzhen’s Futian district government.
