AI Emerges as a New Bridge for China-ASEAN Energy Cooperation

Klik

Baise Power Supply Bureau of Guangxi Power Grid uses drones and robots to conduct live-line inspections of insulators.

NANNING, CHINA — Energy cooperation between China and ASEAN is entering a new digital phase, with artificial intelligence (AI), specialized language models and drone-based inspections emerging as tools to strengthen power-grid reliability while bridging language gaps in technical cooperation.

A range of these innovations was showcased by China Southern Power Grid during the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning on Monday (Sept. 21, 2026).

Among the technologies presented was the DaWatt Lao Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector V2.0, an AI-based language model developed specifically for energy and power-sector applications.

The system has been deployed by Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T). Its algorithms were optimized to adapt to Laos' mountainous and rainforest terrain, enabling the system to process thousands of power-line inspection images in a relatively short time.

During inspections of four transmission lines, the system processed around 26,000 drone images and identified more than 3,600 equipment defects.

The deployment illustrates how digital technology can support power-grid maintenance in challenging geographical environments, while potentially improving the speed and efficiency of inspection work.

Building a Regional Knowledge Ecosystem

The cooperation is extending beyond technology deployment. Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. is developing multilingual professional datasets for the power sector covering ASEAN countries including Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Liu Ying, General Manager of the company's Digitalization Department, said the initiative draws on the DaWatt foundation model to develop energy and power models tailored to ASEAN languages and practical industry needs.

Human-capital development is another important component.

The China-ASEAN Institute of Energy, jointly established by Guangxi Power Grid and Guangxi University, is developing an industry-academia training model that combines academic learning with practical experience.

So far, two cohorts totaling 53 students from ASEAN countries have enrolled in the program.

The cooperation is also moving from one-way training toward joint innovation. Guangxi Power Grid and the Royal Academy of Cambodia have jointly established a laboratory focusing on artificial intelligence and safety equipment.

Meanwhile, exchanges with Electricité du Laos are being conducted to explore ways to improve power-supply reliability.

Bahe Wind Farm in Tiandeng County, Guangxi,
 where wind turbines stand amid the region's distinctive karst landscape.

AI Tackles the Language Barrier

Language remains a practical challenge in cross-border technical cooperation, particularly when discussions involve highly specialized power-sector terminology.

To address this issue, Guangxi Power Grid has developed an AI-powered translation platform backed by a specialized database containing terminology for more than 1,800 types of power equipment.

The platform supports translation between Chinese and English, Chinese and Lao, and Chinese and Vietnamese.

During a recent training program involving Chinese and overseas engineers, the system enabled the automatic generation of bilingual training materials and provided real-time speech translation.

The technology is designed to make technical exchanges faster and easier to follow, particularly when participants must work across different languages and specialized vocabularies.

Guangxi Power Grid has also established an international talent pool covering management, technical and skilled personnel. The company has developed 24 hours of international-affairs training and 20 short-form video courses.

"This year, we will also explore joint postgraduate programs with universities in ASEAN countries," said Sun Xiaohua, Deputy Director of the Human Resources Department at Guangxi Power Grid.

From Guangxi to ASEAN

Looking ahead, Guangxi Power Grid plans to further develop a model based on "R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN."

The company will continue expanding its multilingual power-sector datasets while exploring a "Token Goes Global" model for AI applications in the energy sector.

Under the concept, computing resources and AI models would be based in Guangxi, while knowledge-based services could be delivered to markets across ASEAN.

The approach signals a broader evolution in China-ASEAN energy cooperation—from infrastructure and conventional technical exchanges toward a model increasingly built around technology, knowledge, talent and digital innovation.

The initiative is also intended to contribute to green development under the framework of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0. (*/red).