On the 25th (local time), OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, stated that the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup Zhipu AI is securing government contracts in various regions with the backing of the Chinese authorities.
In a recently published report, OpenAI warned that China is accelerating its bid for global AI leadership, citing Zhipu AI as an example. OpenAI assessed that Zhipu AI, which is supported by the Communist Party of China, aims to expand its business by establishing "responsible, transparent, and auditable" Chinese AI alternatives globally, taking root in emerging markets ahead of competitors in the U.S. or Europe.
Zhipu AI provides AI solutions, including dedicated hardware created in collaboration with China's Huawei, to governments and state-owned corporations in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Kenya. According to OpenAI, Zhipu AI has received investments exceeding $1.4 billion (approximately 1.9 trillion won) from the Chinese government and maintains close ties with Chinese government and state institutions.
The support from the Chinese government for Zhipu AI is interpreted as part of a strategy to build a self-sufficient AI ecosystem that can compete with the U.S. without relying on American technology. Zhipu AI has recently emerged as a leading AI corporation in China and competes with DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, and Minimax.
However, Zhipu AI has been included in the export control target list of the U.S. Department of Commerce since January, prohibiting the purchase of U.S. components.
OpenAI has also been establishing partnerships and attracting investments in the Middle East and Asia. Among them, the "OpenAI for Nations" initiative supports foreign governments in collaborating with the U.S. government to develop "sovereign AI" capabilities.