Baotou city has established a notable presence in China's digital transformation efforts. As reported in the 2024 China Urban Digital Economy Development Report by CCID Consulting, a market research firm, Baotou is positioned at 90th among the top 100 digital economy cities in the country.

In Baotou's Bayan Obo mining district, an advanced 5G + BeiDou communication system links vehicles, networks, and ground operations. This setup allows intelligent, unmanned mining trucks to operate efficiently through real-time positioning, edge computing, and data modeling, enhancing both productivity and environmental sustainability.

Baotou was the first city in Inner Mongolia to initiate public data transactions, unlocking substantial value in healthcare. By emphasizing data ownership, secure exchange, and benefit-sharing, Baotou has created health-related public data products. More than 120 million health records from 27 hospitals have been collected and accessed over 12,000 times, aiding in commercial insurance underwriting and claims processing.

To continue this progress, Baotou has developed an innovative platform for data asset registration and valuation.

The city's two key tech hubs – the Inner Mongolia Software Park in Jiuyuan district and the Baotou Big Data Industrial Park in Shiguai district – are now home to 501 enterprises, which together produce an annual output of 1.48 billion yuan ($205.72 million). Using a "government + incubator + enterprise" approach, Baotou has supported over 300 digital innovation startups.

Baotou is establishing itself as a growing power in China's digital economy, transitioning from smart mining to health data monetization.