DeepSeek, a leading Chinese AI company, is transforming the global tech landscape by opening its large language model to developers worldwide. This move marks a significant shift towards “open-resource innovation,” a term coined by Wang Jian, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
“DeepSeek has changed the landscape of large language models,” Wang said, highlighting the company’s contribution to the world and the tech community. “With DeepSeek, millions of people around the world can innovate in ways we never imagined.”
This initiative aligns with the Chinese mainland’s “AI Plus initiative,” which was emphasized in the government work report during this year’s Two Sessions for the second consecutive year. The country’s commitment to integrating artificial intelligence across industries is fostering a surge in global collaboration and innovation.
Empowering Global Developers and Small Businesses
Beyond DeepSeek, other Chinese companies are embracing open-source innovation. Alibaba’s Qwen, for example, has been providing small businesses and developers with reliable foundation models for years. “This is particularly helpful for small businesses or developers because they have very limited resources to build their own foundation models,” Wang explained.
HarmonyOS, or Hongmeng in Chinese, is another open-source operating system making waves. Launched in August 2019, it’s designed for a variety of devices, including smart screens, tablets, wearables, and cars. According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), more than 70 organizations have joined the HarmonyOS ecosystem, with over 8,100 individuals contributing to the code.
“At the end of the day, having more people think about applications is critical,” Wang noted.
AI Integration Across Sectors
During the Two Sessions, representatives emphasized the importance of driving AI integration across various sectors. Lei Jun, founder and CEO of tech giant Xiaomi, expressed his commitment to embedding AI into end products to enhance consumers’ lives. “We aim to enable consumers to experience the wonderful life brought by technology,” Lei said at the Deputies’ Corridor before the opening of the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress.
In the healthcare sector, the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China has completed the localized deployment of DeepSeek’s AI model. According to CPPCC member Liu Lianxin, this move is expected to provide fast and accurate diagnostic suggestions for primary care physicians, significantly improving healthcare efficiency and accessibility in rural and underserved areas.
China’s home appliance giant Haier Group is also embracing AI. Zhou Yunjie, an NPC deputy and Chairman of Haier Group’s Board of Directors, believes that AI opens up new possibilities for products “Made in China” to become “Intelligently Made in China.”
A Growing Community of Innovators
The MIIT reports that China now ranks second globally in the number of open-source contributors. The number of high-quality open-source large models, projects, and communities continues to grow, driving the vibrant development of the artificial intelligence industry.
MIIT data shows that China’s software developers have exceeded 9.4 million as of 2024. A report by the Cloud Computing Standards and Open Source Promotion Committee under the China Communications Standards Association reveals that Chinese projects now account for 17 percent of global open-source software, placing China second worldwide.
