S China's Guangzhou issues its first business license using 'AI assistant' for sole proprietors

"Previously, I had to double-check the wording of my business scope over and over. Now, I just tell the artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, 'I want to open a variety store,' and it automatically generates a compliant business scope entry," said a sole proprietor who received a business license issued with the help of an "AI assistant".

The business license, issued on July 15, was the first of its kind in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

A man receives his business license issued with the help of an "AI assistant", the first of its kind in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, on July 15, 2025. (Photo/Science and Technology Daily)

In an effort to leverage AI technology to address difficulties and bottlenecks in business registration, the Guangzhou Municipal Administration for Market Regulation has launched a dedicated "AI assistant" service section on a WeChat mini program for one-stop services regarding starting a business in Guangzhou.

The new service section features two major functions specifically tailored to the needs of sole proprietors: intelligent AI-powered form completion and direct business structure upgrades—from sole proprietorship to company registration—effectively streamlining business registration procedures and easing sole proprietors' transformation into formal enterprises.

The "AI assistant" addresses common challenges faced by sole proprietors, such as difficulty in selecting appropriate business scopes and errors in form completion.

Instead of manually filling out forms, applicants can now chat with the "AI assistant" via the mini program, providing information such as intended business activities, proposed business name, address, and personnel details.

The system then automatically generates a standardized application form in line with regulatory requirements, which applicants can edit and submit with a single click on mobile devices—no need for handwritten forms.

Thanks to the new service, the entire process of business registration and business structure upgrades has been significantly accelerated, with some licenses issued on the same day.