Black Tech in Everyday Life in China
If you think “black tech” only exists in sci-fi movies, labs, or tech expos, you may be underestimating how fast it’s embedded into your everyday life. In China, daily life in 2025 is already like a mobile futuristic script.
We may be used to these technologies, but we don’t always realize: whether you’re ordering food, visiting a hospital, crossing the street, or even taking a shower, there’s likely a network of algorithms, sensors, and systems silently “taking care of you.”
1. Facial Recognition Payment: Wallets Are Becoming Useless
In major cities, especially in tier-1 and tier-2 commercial areas, many people go out without a wallet—or even without pulling out their phones. Just by “looking up,” facial recognition completes the payment process. Meituan, Alipay, and WeChat Pay’s facial payment terminals are widely installed in convenience stores, milk tea shops, and even wet markets.
According to QuestMobile, facial payment penetration in China reached 43.6% in Q1 2025. It’s especially common in campuses, office buildings, and transportation hubs.
What’s worth noting is that the AI algorithms behind facial payments have evolved into fifth-generation dynamic recognition technology—capable of identifying you through partial obstruction, identical twins, or even after years of aging. The scariest part of black tech? Its seamless invisibility.
2. Unmanned Delivery: No Longer “New,” Just Normal
In the past, ordering takeout meant a human courier took your order. Today, you may find a four-wheeled delivery robot smoothly pulling up to your community gate, ready to open its belly for you to scan and collect your food. Or maybe you’re at your office building and see a JD.com delivery robot autonomously taking the elevator to deliver your package.
According to iResearch data from April 2025, Meituan alone handled over 1.2 million unmanned delivery orders monthly in cities like Beijing and Shenzhen. JD Logistics claims to have achieved 100% unmanned last-mile delivery in over 15 cities.
Behind this are high-precision LiDAR systems, edge computing, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) coordination—real-time systems capable of obstacle avoidance, lane changes, and even verbal interaction. Just like scenes from a sci-fi movie.
3. Smart Traffic: Not Just Smarter Lights, But a Smarter City
In Hangzhou, the central “City Brain” can control the timing of over 1,000 intersections in real-time, using cameras and edge AI to analyze traffic flow and provide synchronized green lights on major roads.
According to official data, Hangzhou’s smart traffic system has improved morning rush hour traffic efficiency by 15% and reduced the congestion index by 9%.
And that’s just the beginning. Cities like Guangzhou and Chengdu are also deploying C-V2X systems, enabling direct communication between traffic signals and vehicles—alerting cars of upcoming red lights and suggesting optimal speeds. Driving starts to feel more like running code.
4. Smart Homes: Beyond Voice Commands, Now It’s Predictive
Many think smart homes just mean asking Xiao Ai to turn on a light or having Tmall Genie play a song. But the real black tech? When you’re dozing on the sofa, the AC automatically lowers the temperature. When you walk into the bathroom, the water heater’s already warmed up. When it’s time to sleep, the curtains close, lights dim, and the air purifier silently enters night mode.
Behind all this are sensors + time-based algorithms + behavioral learning models. For example, Huawei and Xiaomi’s smart home platforms now support cross-brand automation, even adjusting water temperature based on your activity level and the day’s weather.
In 2025, your home doesn’t just listen to you—it anticipates your needs.
5. Medical Appointments + AI Diagnosis: AI May Spot Problems Before You Do
Long queues, difficult appointments, and complex referrals were once a pain point in China’s healthcare system. But by 2025, “online consultation + AI pre-diagnosis” has become increasingly normal.
Platforms like Tencent Health, AliHealth, and JD Health now offer AI voice and image-based diagnosis, which can assess your symptoms in real-time and recommend possible conditions, risk levels, and which hospital department to visit.
Top hospitals like Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Fudan Huashan Hospital now use AI-assisted diagnostic systems that can detect early-stage lung nodules and diabetic retinopathy with over 95% accuracy. This isn’t just “robot doctors”—it’s a second pair of expert eyes helping physicians catch problems earlier.
6. Digital Yuan: A Quiet Monetary Revolution
In 2025, more and more young people use their digital yuan wallets to buy coffee, ride public transit, and pay utility bills. In pilot cities like Beijing, Shenzhen, Suzhou, and Chengdu, the digital RMB is deeply integrated into everyday payments.
Even cooler? It can auto-give change, work offline, and is more secure with national-level system support.
The digital yuan isn’t just a digitized version of money—it’s a programmable currency: traceable, time-limited, and directionally disbursed. Among global central bank digital currency (CBDC) experiments, China’s remains one of the most advanced and practical.
7. AI Social & Virtual Assistants: Your Digital Twin Is Now Online
You’re probably already using digital agents like Alipay’s “Xiao’er”, Meituan’s “Xiaoxiao”, or JD’s “Xiao Ge.” They don’t just answer questions—they can schedule deliveries, rebook orders, and even recommend insurance or travel deals based on your habits.
On the business side, more companies are deploying their own “digital employees” to handle customer service, reimbursements, and HR inquiries. Baidu’s Ernie Bot and ByteDance’s Doubao are becoming essential front-desk assistants for small businesses.
In 2025, your digital twin isn’t just on screen—it might know you better than you know yourself.
The Endgame of Black Tech? You’ve Already Gotten Used to It
When we call something “black tech,” it often feels distant, even a bit mystical. But the most powerful technology doesn’t shout—it quietly becomes normal.
What we’re witnessing isn’t a trailer for some sci-fi fantasy—it’s already happening. From unlocking your subway gate with your face to getting a package from a robot or walking into a pre-heated shower—your every move tells the story:
the future isn’t tomorrow. It’s right now.
