OpenAI flags Beijing-backed Zhipu AI as a top rival

OPENAI highlights an artificial intelligence startup under the radar which, according to her, is on the “front” of the Chinese race to direct the world in AI – and it is not Deepseek.

In a blog On Wednesday, the company wrote that Zhipu supported by Beijing made “notable progress” in the AI ​​race, while the global competition increases.

Zhipu Ai, founded in 2019, has been described as national media like one of the Chinese “tigers” – a class of unicorns of large language model considered as Beijing efforts to compete with the United States and reduce its dependence on American technology.

While the colleague “Ai Tiger” Deepseek received the part of the Lion of international attention after having published his R1 model in January, Openai suggests that Zhipu’s expansion outside China and his links with Beijing deserve more control.

The startup has collected funds from several local governments, according to state media. “Zhipu AI leadership frequently engages with CCP officials, including Prime Minister Li Qiang,” said Openai, stimulating the value of state -supported investments in the startup at more than $ 1.4 billion.

ZHIPU AI would have To offices in the Middle East, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Malaysia, and also generates joint “innovation centers” projects through Southeast Asia, including in Indonesia and Vietnam.

These factors could see Zhipu playing a key role in the “road digital silk” strategy in China, because it offers AI infrastructure solutions to governments around the world.

“The objective is to lock Chinese systems and standards in emerging markets before American or European rivals could, while presenting a responsible, transparent and lend to audit alternative,” said Openai.

Zhipu AI did not immediately respond to a request for comments on OpenAi declarations. However, last week, the president of Zhipu Ai Liu Debing Tell to journalists that the company hoped to contribute the power of Chinese AI to the world.

These objectives represent a threat to Openai, which has received support from Washington to promote its fundamental models as a Go-to-To-To Offer in the world.

During a water visit in May, US President Donald Trump announced more than $ 200 billion in commercial offers in the region, especially One to build a Stargate Uae AI campus by Openai, Oracle,, Nvidia And Cisco systems. It should be launched in 2026.

The Stargate project is an investment vehicle in the private sector focused on AI of $ 500 billion, announced by Openai in January in partnership with the Investment Company Abu Dhabi MGX and the Sweet Bank in Japan.

This month, Openai also received a $ 200 million contract To provide the US Department of Defense with artificial and announced “tools of artificial intelligence”OPENAI for the government“An initiative aimed at bringing its AI tools to officials from the United States

Zhipu will also work with his national soldiers, helping the Chinese soldiers to modernize thanks to an advanced artificial intelligence, which saw it added to the list of entities of the US trade department in January.

Company has would have initiated preliminary stages towards the launch of a first public offer. It was previously estimated at 20 billion yuan ($ 2.78 billion), according to Local media reports.