□ Computing power is the core productivity that promotes the sustained and healthy development of the digital economy. Computing power coupons can further mobilize the enthusiasm of business entities to use computing power resources and inject more vitality into the computing power industry.

□ It is necessary to guide and support computing power companies to strengthen R & D and innovation to provide more options for the market; all localities should combine actual conditions to effectively improve the management and use performance of computing power coupons and avoid idle waste.

Recently, Guizhou issued the first batch of computing power coupons to 72 companies inside and outside the province, which can be used to deduct a certain percentage of fees when companies purchase local computing power services or data transaction products, which attracted attention.

Wang Zecai, a researcher at the China Academy of Fiscal Sciences, said that computing power coupons are innovative consumption coupons issued by the government to enterprises. Through government subsidies, guide, leverage, and support small and medium-sized enterprises to use more computing power resources at less cost, further stimulate the vitality of the computing power market, promote more small and medium-sized enterprises to accelerate digital transformation, and consolidate the foundation for the development of the digital economy.

Computing power is the core productivity that promotes the sustained and healthy development of the digital economy. "It is estimated that for every 1 yuan invested in computing power, it can drive economic output of 3 yuan to 4 yuan." Wang Zecai said that this innovative form of computing power coupons can further mobilize the enthusiasm of business entities, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to use computing power resources and inject more vitality into the computing power industry.

Since 2023, many places have explored the use of computing power coupons to support enterprises, universities, scientific research institutions, etc. in using local computing power resources. Some places have also introduced special management methods for computing power coupons. For example, Chengdu introduced a special policy for the computing power industry at the beginning of last year, establishing a computing power center operation coordination, settlement and sharing mechanism with computing power coupons as the core, and issuing computing power coupons with a total amount of no more than 10 million yuan every year to support computing power intermediary services. Institutions, technology-based small, medium and micro enterprises and makers, scientific research institutions, universities, etc. use the computing power resources of the National Supercomputing Chengdu Center and Chengdu Intelligent Computing Center. Ningxia's "Policies and Measures to Promote the Innovation and Development of Artificial Intelligence" issued in August last year proposed that a total of no more than 40 million yuan of computing power coupons will be issued every year to support universities, scientific research institutions, computing power intermediary service institutions, technology-based small, medium and micro enterprises and makers. Others use supercomputing and smart computing resources in the area to carry out core algorithm innovation, model training and development, etc.

Some experts said that computing power coupons have become a new starting point for local governments to promote the development of the computing power industry and digital economy, and the exploration of computing power coupons is constantly deepening.

Which companies do the calculation coupons specifically support and how do they manage and operate them? Beijing introduced the "Artificial Intelligence Computing Power Voucher Implementation Plan" in October last year (2023-2025)", clarifying that the implementation plan of artificial intelligence computing power coupons supports software information service enterprises and manufacturing enterprises registered in Beijing to rent intelligent computing power resources from non-related parties (excluding storage, network, security and other services), and conduct training and application of industry artificial intelligence large models in the fields of industry, government affairs, medical care, finance, education, legal affairs, transportation, cultural tourism, scientific research, urban management, convenience services, etc. Enterprises that meet the specified conditions can enjoy a certain proportion of the smart computing power contract amount of the smart computing power contract amount for smart computing power service contracts signed on or after September 1, 2023 (the contract period is one year or less). The maximum amount of a single application for computing power coupons shall not exceed 20% of the smart computing power contract amount, and the cumulative amount of computing power coupons applied and redeemed by the same enterprise in each natural year shall not exceed 2 million yuan.

The "Guizhou Calculation Power Voucher Management Measures (Trial)" promulgated in February this year clarified the definition, relevant entities, management regulations and supervision methods of calculation power vouchers. For example, it is clearly required that calculation coupons are limited to the applicant's own use and may not be transferred, donated, bought and sold, pledged, lent, reused, etc. The validity period of calculation power coupons is 6 months. From the date of issuance, calculation power coupons that have not been used within the time limit will be automatically invalid. When the demander purchases Guizhou computing services or data transaction products, it can be provided with an incentive of cash coupons at 3% of the contract transaction amount, and the maximum annual cumulative redemption amount of the same entity will not exceed 2 million yuan.

Wang Zecai suggested that on the one hand, it is necessary to guide and support computing companies to strengthen R & D and innovation, form a richer, convenient and accurate product system and usage scenarios, and provide more selectivity for the market. On the other hand, all localities should further refine and optimize relevant management regulations based on actual conditions, anchor cost-performance orientation, effectively improve the management and use performance of calculation coupons, ensure that enterprises in need can truly use them and use them well, and avoid idle waste. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the "full life cycle" evaluation of the use effect of computing power coupons, adjust and optimize them in a timely manner according to actual conditions, so that the invested funds can truly achieve their due benefits.

Reporter/Dong Bijuan