Global Times: Bridging divides through Open Source: The iterative logic of China's AI

BEIJING, Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- China's foreign trade has kept on gaining steam. Following the "new three" (NEVs, lithium batteries, and PV), a "next new three"—artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and innovative medicine—is emerging as the new growth driver.

AI-related products export stood out in the first half of 2026, accounting for 22.7 percent of total exports and contributing 8.6 percentage points to overall trade growth. This surge boosts China's high-quality development and carries global significance for sustainable development.

If traditional manufacturing reflects the strengths of "Made in China," and the "new three" showcase green transformation, then the "next new three," including AI, signal the rise of "Intelligent Manufacturing in China." China's unique AI large-model development model is now reshaping the global AI landscape.

Chinese AI models are penetrating global markets through cost-effectiveness and open source. OpenRouter data showed that in the third week of July 2026, Chinese large-language models (LLMs) recorded 36 trillion weekly tokens, ranking first for 12 straight weeks and capturing two-thirds of the global market, with the top five most-called models all from China. On hardware, exports of AI-related products reached $480 billion in the first half of 2026, up 47.3 percent year-on-year, forming a full chain from computing power and infrastructure to terminals. Exports of optical equipment, smart sensors, and smart terminals grew at double-digit rates, while ICs and 3D printers more than doubled year-on-year in June.

China's AI exports go beyond products. They represent a "systematic global expansion" covering computing power, algorithms, standards, and solutions. Serving over 140 countries and regions, China provides tailored digital solutions: Peruvian ports use Chinese algorithms to boost efficiency; Russian e-commerce relies on Chinese AI as its "intelligent core"; and Southeast Asian small and medium-sized enterprises are being empowered in their digital transformation.

First, China's AI surge stems from its unique model, notably its open-source approach. China shares core models to engage global developers. This fosters tech inclusivity and ecosystem co-building, while leveraging global intelligence to offset hardware gaps through algorithmic and ecological innovation.

Second, China leverages industry integration synergies. Its strong industrial ecosystem - spanning energy, chips, telecommunications, and applications - creates full-chain coordination. A vast manufacturing base, digital platforms, logistics, and public infrastructure facilitate AI testing and deployment, sharply cutting short the development-to-application cycle.

Third, China sticks to the strategic support of its independent innovation. Despite external "bottlenecks," China ranks first globally in AI papers, citations, and patents. The World Intellectual Property Organization cites China as the top source of generative AI patents, and China leads or co-leads over a quarter of international AI standards.

After years of accumulation, China's overall AI strength now ranks among the global first tier. The 2026 global AI Innovation Index places China second (60.49 points), far ahead of others - behind only the US, which leads in R&D and computing power, while China excels in industrial applications, lightweight models, and low-cost deployment. Stanford's 2026 AI Index shows the performance gap with US top models narrowed to 2.7 percent by March 2026. In AI, China has firmly secured its place as a global leader.

Since the Industrial Revolution, global development has been marked by persistent imbalance - from the industrial divide to the information divide to today's digital divide. The AI era now brings the "AI divide" into sharp focus, and evidence shows this gap is widening.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) data showed stark "digital divide" -- 94 percent internet access in high-income countries vs. 23 percent in low-income ones, with 2.2 billion people still offline - mostly in low- and middle-income nations. High-income countries hold 77 percent of global data center capacity, while low-income countries hold less than 0.1 percent. The majority of the Global South languages and knowledge remain underrepresented in AI training datasets, hindering their AI development. And, digital skill penetration rate stands at 66 percent in high-income countries vs. less than 5 percent in low-income countries, with brain drain worsening the gap.

Also, developing countries' weak infrastructure hinders their AI development and may further slow their economic growth. As some rely on foreign AI, much of their future economic output could flow back to developed countries and large corporations through cloud use fees, licensing, royalties, equipment imports, and data extraction.

China's AI development and its unique model help break this dependency and bridge the global divide. It aligns with developing economies' needs, as China's deep integration with Global South industries creates a win-win ecosystem. Its open-source approach serves as a catalyst for intelligent transformation - the core philosophy is global collaboration to build and share an inclusive AI ecosystem.

China's AI products and governance concepts are global public goods. At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance held in July, China proposed a framework balancing innovation, security, civilization, and governance to guide AI for good. It also united 29 countries to establish the "World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization" for global welfare.

From Kimi K3 and DeepSeek to the MAZU weather early warning system deployed in multiple countries, China, as a producer, service provider, builder, and leader, is driving an inclusive, open global AI ecosystem to advance sustainable development.

SOURCE Global Times