AI Boom Drives Rise of 'One-Person Companies' in China

Central News Agency reporter Li Ya-wen, Taipei, May 25. The 'One-Person Company' (OPC) office model is rising in China, with the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta serving as core regions for this demand. The background to this trend is that AI technology has lowered the threshold for entrepreneurship, driving the rapid expansion of the OPC group. OPC refers to a One Person Company, where one person can complete business processes such as creativity, R&D, design, marketing, and delivery. According to a report by Jiemian News on the 25th, demand for OPC office space is growing rapidly. As of April this year, China has built over 85 OPC communities, with 270 planned, covering more than 30 cities, indicating room for continued growth in the flexible office industry. Bai Rui, General Manager of WeWork for Shanghai and new first-tier cities, stated that OPCs have become a core growth group for flexible office space globally and in China. The rapid growth is driven by AI technology lowering the barrier to entry. As the OPC model becomes an industry hotspot, shared office communities are updating their service systems and expanding diverse business formats. Bai mentioned that to meet OPC needs and solve pain points like lack of compliance, resources, and operations, they provide not only office space but also diverse services such as business registration, finance, tax, legal compliance, and policy application. According to WeWork's solutions, the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta are core areas for OPC demand. In Shanghai, the OPC group is mostly focused on AI content, AI consulting, short videos, overseas business expansion, independent developers, and cross-border e-commerce, showing a trend toward younger entrepreneurs. Bai believes that in the next 3 to 5 years, OPCs are highly likely to move from a niche startup model to a mainstream growth form in Shanghai, becoming the most active layer in the digital economy, though they will not replace traditional company structures. OPCs are creating revenue growth for the flexible office industry, significantly improving space efficiency through flexible, fragmented leasing.