Stanford paper on the performance and popularity of selected open-weight models.
After years of lagging behind, Chinese AI models — especially open-weight LLMs — seem to have caught up or even pulled ahead of their global counterparts in advanced AI model capabilities and adoption.
We profile and compare the capabilities and distinct features of four notable Chinese open-weight language model families, highlighting that China’s ecosystem of open-weight LLMs is driven by a wide range of actors who are prioritizing the development of computationally efficient models optimized for flexible downstream deployment.
Diverse commercial strategies for translating open-weight model adoption into business success are emerging, yet their long-term viability remains uncertain.
The Chinese government’s support of open-weight model development — while not the sole determinant of its success — has played a substantial role, though there is no guarantee it will continue.
The widespread global adoption of Chinese open-weight models may reshape global technology access and reliance patterns, and impact AI governance, safety, and competition. Policymakers should ground their policy actions in a granular understanding of real-world deployment.
