Chinese companies are adapting to international constraints by optimizing their resources and focusing on open-weight models in artificial intelligence. For instance, DeepSeek-V3’s training utilized only 2.6 million GPU hours, significantly less than its U.S. counterparts. Alibaba’s Qwen models have gained recognition as among the most downloaded open-weight frameworks globally, while firms like Zhipu and MiniMax are developing competitive multimodal and video AI systems.
China’s industrial policy facilitates rapid transitions from research to implementation. Local governments and enterprises are increasingly employing reasoning models in various sectors, including administration, logistics, and finance. In education, major Chinese universities are incorporating AI literacy into their curricula, equipping future workers with necessary skills. The Ministry of Education is also planning to implement AI training across all age groups in schools. This proactive approach in both infrastructure and educational frameworks may enable more efficient adoption of AI technologies.
The 2025 AI Index from Stanford HAI indicates that Chinese respondents exhibit a high level of optimism regarding AI’s future, more so than those in the U.S. or U.K., despite an economic slowdown following the pandemic. There is a perception among some in the government and industry that AI could serve as a catalyst for recovery. However, it remains uncertain whether this optimism can endure amid slower economic growth.
While social control continues to play a role, a new generation of Chinese AI founders is increasingly global in perspective, engaging in international events and becoming fluent in both English and global venture capital practices. These entrepreneurs often establish companies with a transnational focus. Although the U.S. excels in rapid experimentation, China may develop its own unique integration of AI into everyday life, raising questions about how these distinct approaches will influence the global AI landscape.
Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/11/03/1126780/the-state-of-ai-is-china-about-to-win-the-race/