China Turns to AI to Detect Corruption in Public Bidding

• China has released new guidelines calling for artificial intelligence to monitor public tendering processes and identify signs of corruption.
• The move aligns with President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti‑graft campaign, which increasingly relies on big‑data tools.
• Early examples show AI already assisting investigators by flagging suspicious bidding activity.

AI Becomes a New Tool in China’s Anti‑Corruption Drive

China plans to integrate artificial intelligence into its public bidding and tendering systems to help prevent corruption and undisclosed deals. New guidelines issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, along with seven other agencies, outline how AI should flag irregularities in bidding documents and monitor review committee decisions. The systems are expected to use “human‑like” reasoning to generate recommendations for investigators. Officials say the technology should also search for clues related to suspected bid‑rigging and support disciplinary enforcement.

The announcement follows President Xi Jinping’s call in early 2025 to expand the country’s anti‑corruption toolkit. At a meeting of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Xi emphasized the importance of using big data to strengthen oversight. The commission has since highlighted the role of digital tools in identifying misconduct that would otherwise be difficult to detect. These guidelines formalize that direction by embedding AI into procurement oversight.

China’s public bidding system handles a vast number of projects, making manual review difficult. Investigators often face challenges in identifying patterns of misconduct across large datasets. AI tools are intended to help narrow down cases that require human attention. Authorities hope this approach will make investigations more efficient and reduce opportunities for corruption.

Early Cases Show AI’s Potential Impact

State media reports indicate that AI‑assisted oversight has already produced results. In Zhejiang province, an anti‑graft watchdog detained a state‑owned asset administrator in January 2025 after AI systems flagged irregularities in several public project tenders. The administrator, Feng Jiang, was later found to have accepted substantial bribes from bidders. According to CCTV, he acted as a middleman, helping pay off members of tender review committees.

Investigators said the volume of tenders made it impossible to manually review every case. AI tools provided leads that allowed them to focus on specific projects. Once a suspicious pattern was identified, investigators followed the trail step by step. The case ultimately resulted in Feng receiving a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence in November.

Officials involved in the investigation described big‑data analysis as a valuable resource. They noted that AI does not replace human judgment but helps direct attention to areas where misconduct is more likely. This hybrid approach is expected to become more common as China expands its use of digital oversight tools. The Zhejiang case is being highlighted as an example of how technology can support anti‑corruption efforts.

The success of early deployments may encourage broader adoption across provinces. China’s anti‑graft agencies have increasingly turned to digital platforms to monitor financial flows, procurement records and administrative decisions. AI‑driven systems could become a standard part of this infrastructure. The guidelines suggest that national‑level implementation is now a priority.

A Broader Strategy to Modernize Oversight

The new guidelines reflect China’s broader strategy to modernize governance through data‑driven tools. Public tendering is a major focus because it involves large sums of money and multiple layers of decision‑making. AI systems can analyze patterns that may indicate collusion, inflated pricing or coordinated manipulation. Authorities hope this will reduce opportunities for corruption at early stages of the bidding process.

The guidelines also emphasize the need for AI systems to provide recommendations rather than final judgments. Human investigators remain responsible for determining whether misconduct occurred. This approach aims to balance technological efficiency with legal and procedural safeguards. It also acknowledges the limitations of automated systems in interpreting complex human behavior.

China’s anti‑corruption campaign has been one of the most extensive in its modern history. The integration of AI marks a new phase in which technology plays a central role. Officials believe that digital tools can help sustain the campaign’s momentum. The guidelines suggest that AI will be used not only for detection but also for long‑term monitoring.

As China continues to refine its digital governance systems, public procurement is likely to remain a key testing ground. The combination of AI and big‑data analytics may reshape how oversight is conducted across multiple sectors. The government’s emphasis on transparency and discipline enforcement indicates that these tools will become increasingly embedded in administrative processes.

AI‑based anti‑corruption tools are being explored in several countries, but China’s large‑scale deployment is notable due to the size of its public procurement system. Researchers have pointed out that AI can help identify patterns of collusion that are difficult for humans to detect, such as repeated bidder relationships or unusual pricing trends.