China has emerged as a global leader in artificial intelligence, having launched 1,509 large AI models, the highest number worldwide. This accounts for a significant portion of the 3,755 models developed globally. The country has built a robust AI industrial system, integrating foundational infrastructure with sector-specific applications. Home to over 5,100 AI companies, China represents about 15 percent of the global total and boasts 71 AI unicorns, making up roughly 26 percent of the world’s total.
Yu Xiaohui, president of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, highlighted the rapid evolution of foundational large models and new technological approaches as key drivers toward Artificial General Intelligence. The AI landscape in China is marked by leading companies, emerging unicorns, and specialized startups. Over 300 AI-related listed companies in China generate about 70 percent of the nation’s AI industry revenue.
Key innovation fields for Chinese AI unicorns include large models, autonomous driving, intelligent robots, business intelligence applications, and AI computing chips. The rapid expansion of China’s AI industry, driven by continuous technological advancements and new business models, is becoming a significant growth engine for the country’s economic and social development. The recent World AI Conference in Shanghai, themed “Global Solidarity in the AI Era,” brought together representatives from over 40 countries to discuss global AI governance.
