In Shenzhen, a quiet breakthrough is unfolding in autism rehabilitation as AI-powered tools begin to transform how young children receive therapy.

At a local centre, a therapist guides a three-year-old boy through speech exercises, while an AI system documents progress and instantly generates a tailored home-training plan, offering much-needed support to both therapists and families.

China faces a severe shortage of autism therapists, with only around 100,000 professionals serving a community of over 10 million individuals, including 3 million children.

Traditional diagnosis and treatment rely on time-consuming behavioural assessments. Now, AI is streamlining this process.

Centres like Dami & Xiaomi, in partnership with Amazon Web Services, have developed RICE AI, a system trained on over 80 million behavioural data points to generate faster, personalised interventions and even custom visual materials for home learning.

By dramatically reducing workloads and enhancing precision, AI is helping to close the gap in early intervention and support.

More facilities are following suit, with efforts underway to unify and open-source these tools across the country. As one mother tearfully recalled her autistic son's first spoken word, the emotional impact of this technological shift was clear, AI is not replacing care, but deepening it.

For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.