China’s artificial intelligence industry has grown at breakneck speed over the past decade, evolving from early speech and vision recognition startups into global contenders in large language models (LLMs), generative AI, and enterprise AI solutions. With heavy investment from tech giants and government support, Chinese AI firms are pushing the boundaries of innovation, rivaling Western counterparts and shaping the future of AI adoption in Asia and beyond. In this guide, we highlight the top 10 Chinese AI companies making waves in 2026, from established giants to rising stars.
1. Baidu
Baidu, often dubbed the “Google of China,” has transformed from a search engine pioneer into a full-stack AI company with significant investments in deep learning research, autonomous driving, and foundational models. Baidu’s ERNIE series of large language models are optimized for multimodal understanding and generation, capable of processing text, images, and speech, while its Apollo Go autonomous taxi service has completed millions of rides, marking China as a leader in robotaxi deployment. Baidu’s AI efforts also extend to enterprise cloud services and custom AI solutions for industries ranging from finance to healthcare, establishing the company as a central pillar of China’s AI ecosystem.
2. Alibaba (Qwen)
Alibaba Group is a major force in AI through its cloud division and generative AI products, particularly the Qwen large language model series, which competes with global models in both performance and adoption. Alibaba’s AI systems power everything from smart logistics optimization to customer service automation and product recommendation engines across its sprawling e-commerce platforms. In early 2026, Alibaba enhanced its Qwen AI app to perform real-world tasks such as food ordering, travel booking, and in-chat payments, signaling the company’s push toward consumer-facing, integrated AI experiences at scale.
3. Tencent (Hunyuan)
Tencent, the tech giant behind WeChat, leverages artificial intelligence deeply within its ecosystem, particularly through Hunyuan, its homegrown large language model tailored for natural language processing and reasoning tasks. Hunyuan powers many of Tencent’s products, from smart replies and search to in-game AI and medical imaging analysis, serving billions of interactions annually. Tencent’s investments in AI have also extended into healthcare, cloud computing, and personalized recommendation engines, making the company one of China’s most diversified and influential AI innovators.
4. Z.ai (Zhipu AI)
Z.ai, originally known as Zhipu AI, is one of China’s leading large language model developers, focused on open-source AI models and enterprise solutions. Founded by researchers from Tsinghua University, Z.ai has become an “AI Tiger” in China’s competitive AI landscape and was among the first generative AI companies to pursue a public listing in Hong Kong, raising significant capital to accelerate R&D and global expansion. Its GLM-series models and AI agents offer robust performance for research, automation, and business intelligence applications, helping companies solve complex language understanding and generation tasks across industries.
5. MiniMax
MiniMax is a Shanghai-based AI innovator specializing in multimodal generative models that create text, audio, images, and video content. Founded by AI veterans from SenseTime, MiniMax has quickly become one of China’s most closely watched startups thanks to apps like Talkie, which offers virtual AI companions and content generation tools with millions of users. In January 2026, MiniMax made a splashy debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, solidifying its position as a major player in China’s next generation of AI firms and highlighting investor confidence in consumer-centric AI experiences.
6. Moonshot AI
Moonshot AI, founded in Beijing by Tsinghua University alumni, is among China’s fastest-growing AI startups with a focus on large language models optimized for long-context understanding and professional workflows. Its flagship products support lengthy document analysis and knowledge discovery, appealing to researchers and enterprises that handle large complex datasets or legal, academic, and technical content. Backed by major investors like Alibaba and Tencent, Moonshot has attracted global attention and valuations in the billions, showcasing China’s ability to cultivate world-class AI talent and innovation.
7. Baichuan AI
Baichuan AI, a relative newcomer founded in 2023 by former Sogou CEO Wang Xiaochuan, has swiftly gained traction for its large language models targeted at both researchers and enterprise users. With successive releases of Baichuan1 through Baichuan4, the company has demonstrated competitive performance across multiple languages and contexts, and its open approach has encouraged adoption in healthcare, research, and business intelligence applications. Strategic funding rounds, including major backers like Alibaba, Tencent, and Xiaomi, have positioned Baichuan as a rising force in the Chinese AI landscape.
8. StepFun
StepFun, officially Shanghai Jieyue Xingchen Intelligent Technology, is one of the six AI “little tigers” rapidly disrupting China’s AI sector with multimodal models capable of handling text, vision, and speech tasks. Founded by former Microsoft engineers, StepFun has expanded its product lineup to include foundational models for developers and enterprises. Its participation in industry alliances with model and chip developers highlights a broader strategy to build a robust domestic AI ecosystem capable of competing with Western technologies.
9. Xiao-i (Xiao-i Robot)
Xiao-i Corporation, known for its flagship cognitive AI systems, is one of China’s most enduring artificial intelligence enterprises, with roots dating back to 2001. The company specializes in natural language processing, voice and image recognition, and intelligent interaction technologies for sectors such as finance, automotive, and smart services. In recent years, Xiao-i has launched its Hua Zang Universal Large Language Model and built an ecosystem of partner solutions across industries, demonstrating its ability to evolve with the generative AI era while maintaining broad commercial relevance.
10. Huawei AI & Kunlunxin Chips
Huawei, though often categorized as a telecommunications giant, plays a pivotal role in AI by providing AI infrastructure, hardware acceleration, and enterprise AI solutions. Its Ascend and Kunlunxin chip series are engineered to support large-scale AI model training and inference, helping China reduce reliance on foreign AI compute power. In addition, Huawei’s MindSpore AI framework and integrated AI platforms are widely used in cloud computing, smart cities, and enterprise automation, making Huawei an indispensable part of China’s long-term AI strategy and industrial modernization.
Conclusion
The AI revolution in China is no longer emerging; it’s here. From giants like Baidu and Alibaba to rising stars like MiniMax and Moonshot AI, Chinese companies are building technologies that rival global counterparts while adapting to local needs. Whether you’re an investor, developer, or tech enthusiast, the companies featured in this list are shaping this transformative era. Keep an eye on these innovators as they continue to influence how AI integrates into everyday life, business, and global technology trends in 2026 and beyond.