Zhipu AI Goes Global: China’s Digital Silk Road Gets a High-Tech Boost

OpenAI has spotlighted China’s Zhipu AI for its rapid progress in the global artificial intelligence arena, as Beijing intensifies efforts to establish Chinese tech standards and influence worldwide.

 

Key Highlights:

 

OpenAI analysts have observed Zhipu AI, a Beijing-based startup, making significant inroads by securing government contracts in regions including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya are among those adopting Zhipu’s AI solutions.

 

Zhipu AI is closely backed by the Chinese government and has received over $1.4 billion in state funding. The company collaborates with tech giant Huawei to deliver sovereign large language model infrastructure and private “AI-in-a-box” hardware to foreign governments and state-owned enterprises.

 

The company’s strategy is to lock in Chinese AI systems and standards in emerging markets before US and European rivals can, offering what it calls a “responsible, transparent, and audit-ready” alternative to Western AI.

 

Zhipu AI’s expansion is part of China’s broader “Digital Silk Road” initiative, which aims to build a self-sufficient and globally competitive AI ecosystem, reducing reliance on American technology and exporting Chinese digital governance models.

 

In January, Zhipu AI was added to the US Commerce Department’s export control list, restricting its access to American components. Despite this, the company continues to grow its international presence and is positioning itself alongside leading Chinese AI firms like DeepSeek, Moonshot, and tech giants like ByteDance and Alibaba.

 

OpenAI’s own “Open for Countries” initiative is a parallel effort, helping governments develop sovereign AI capabilities in partnership with the US, reflecting the intensifying tech rivalry between the US and China.

 

The developments come as both nations race for technological leadership in AI, with government-backed investments and strategic partnerships shaping the next phase of global competition.

 

Source: Reuters, SCMP, Economic Times, OpenAI Global Affairs