I’m excited to share my latest discovery with you – a treasure trove of generative AI models that have been quietly flourishing in China since 2023! It all started when DeepSeek burst onto the global scene in January 2025, but what’s really fascinating is that China’s top web regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), has been keeping a public archive of every single AI software that’s been launched in the country.
The algorithm registry is where all the magic happens. Developers must file their applications with the CAC, which reviews and approves them before they’re publicly listed. It’s like having a real-time map of China’s AI ecosystem, and it’s unlike anything else out there.
As I dug deeper, I found that 80% of China’s generative AI registrations are clustered in the country’s top tech hubs like Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Each city has its own unique strengths – Beijing’s got the brains, Shenzhen’s got the hardware, Shanghai’s got the commercial power, and Hangzhou’s got Alibaba’s ecommerce empire backing it up.
But the innovation doesn’t stop there! I found clusters of AI activity in unexpected places like Chongqing, which is positioning itself as an AI manufacturing and logistics node, and Hefei, which has become known as “China’s speech valley” thanks to its speech-recognition companies like iFlyTek.
What’s also fascinating is the level of activity from state-linked companies, which make up 22% of the filings. These companies are often partnering with Big Tech to build their AI capabilities – take PetroChina, for instance, which teamed up with Huawei and iFlyTek to create oil and gas applications.
But the real action is happening in the startup scene! More than half of the listings in the algorithm registry are for cross-sector technologies, which range from foundational models to text generators to multimedia tools. It’s like a Wild West of AI innovation, with companies like Squirrel AI developing platforms that can diagnose knowledge gaps and measure progress in real-time.
So, where does this leave us? China’s AI landscape is diverse, contested, and constantly evolving. The giants are duking it out, but the real innovation is happening in the startup scene. There’s so much more to explore in this fascinating world of AI innovation in China, and I’m excited to share my findings with you!
