China's AI large models flourish, offer new solutions for the world

Editor's note: Bu Chao is Director of the Digital Economy Special Committee at the Beijing Computer Society. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. It has been translated from Chinese and edited for brevity and clarity.

AI large models have become a key frontier in the new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation. By bringing into play the advantage of its massive market, China has developed and deployed a wide range of generative AI service platforms, each with its own distinct features, based on the characteristics of the Chinese language's semantic structure and corpus. By the end of 2024, 302 generative AI services had been officially registered in China, with 238 of these registered in 2024 alone. This presents a vibrant development landscape where diverse participants thrive.

First, there is rich diversity in market players. Leading enterprises engaged in the digital economy, including internet platform companies and major information technology providers, have almost all entered the arena. Relevant central state-owned enterprises and university research institutions are also making proactive moves in this field, while some AI-focused startups are coming to the fore. In addition, companies from other industries are expanding into the AI field.

Second, these market players are distributed across various regions. Most companies are concentrated in cities and provinces such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Zhejiang, which are frontrunners in digital economy development. Industrial provinces like Jiangsu and Shandong, as well as the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, are also showing strong momentum, while representative companies are also emerging in the northeast, northwest, and central regions.

Third, these models have distinctive functional positioning. In addition to general-purpose large language models (LLMs), a variety of sector-specific platforms have sprouted, focusing on fields such as information and telecommunications, smart devices, education and training, publishing and media, animation and gaming, industrial design, and lifestyle services. These platforms have laid a solid foundation for differentiated development and accelerated commercialization of large models.

China retains an inclusive and cautious regulatory approach toward emerging digital economy sectors and new business forms. Balancing development with security and taking into account both efficiency and fairness, the country encourages independent innovation by various market players while guiding enterprises to operate legally and in compliance, and strengthening industry self-regulation. It pays particular attention to issues such as data and privacy security, as well as intellectual property protection. 

At the same time, China welcomes companies from around the world to enter the AI technology service market, explore the rich tapestry of profound Chinese linguistic and cultural resources, and benefit from the development opportunities presented by the new era. As AI large models continue to spring up like mushrooms, China will remain committed to this sector.

Recently, China's new advancements in AI large models have garnered global attention, further proving that the Chinese path to modernization is offering new solutions for the world and that the Chinese civilization is at the forefront of human civilization's progress. It also shows that the Chinese language and technological wisdom are illuminating the intelligent era, demonstrating renewed vitality. Beyond DeepSeek, which sent shockwaves through the global market, many other innovations are set to emerge and flourish. 

We believe that China will see more innovative entrepreneurial teams who will evolve from learners and users of AI into enhancers, developers, and ultimately creators and definers, thus creating new large model "miracles" for the world.