Sunita Somvanshi
BMW has ramped up its artificial intelligence push in China through key partnerships with local tech firms ByteDance and DeepSeek. These moves form part of what BMW calls its “360-degree AI strategy” covering everything from research to customer service in the world’s largest auto market.
ByteDance Deal Targets Marketing and Customer Service
BMW’s digital unit Lingyue Digital Information Technology is working with ByteDance’s cloud platform Volcano Engine to apply AI in automotive marketing and customer services. The partnership aims to provide better product matching and personalized recommendations to car buyers while making dealerships more efficient.
“We are accelerating the integration of AI technology into our business areas — from research and development, production, and supply chain to products and services, as well as operations,” said Gao Xiang, president and CEO of BMW China.
Tan Dai, president of Volcano Engine, added that the partnership will focus on “intelligent recommendations and enterprise digitalization” to help BMW “explore scenario-based innovations in high-value industrial chains.”
DeepSeek AI Coming to BMW Vehicles
In a separate move announced at the Shanghai Auto Show, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse revealed plans to integrate AI from Chinese startup DeepSeek into new BMW models in China later this year.
“Key advances in AI are happening here. We are strengthening AI partnerships for integration in our vehicles in China,” Zipse said. “Starting later this year we will integrate AI from DeepSeek in our new vehicles in China.”
This puts BMW in the company of Chinese automakers like Geely, Zeekr, and Dongfeng, who also use DeepSeek’s AI systems. Zeekr recently combined its in-house models with DeepSeek-R1 for “smart cockpit” functions.
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Part of Broader Tech Strategy
These partnerships fit into BMW’s wider collaboration with Chinese tech companies. In March, BMW announced a partnership with Huawei Device to develop a smart app ecosystem using Huawei’s HarmonyOS. The automaker is also working with Alibaba to develop a custom AI engine for future BMW models.
The Alibaba partnership will focus on the upcoming Neue Klasse models produced in China, expected from 2026 onward. This collaboration aims to enhance in-car voice recognition and intelligent trip planning.
BMW launched its “360-degree full-chain AI strategy” in China this March, seeking to optimize everything from production and R&D to user experience and supply chain management.
Lingyue Digital, founded in 2019, is a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW Brilliance Automotive, the automaker’s Chinese joint venture in which BMW holds a 75% stake.
BMW’s push into Chinese AI technology reflects the growing trend of global automakers tapping into Chinese tech expertise rather than relying solely on Western suppliers or in-house development.
