Korea's AI aspirations face a pivotal three-year trial period
In the dynamic world of artificial intelligence (AI), China is making significant strides, aggressively advancing its development with strong state support and rapid commercial growth. The country aims to become the global leader in AI by 2030.
Beijing has deployed a comprehensive industrial policy to promote AI across the full technology stack, from chip manufacturing to applications, with a particular focus on robotics and embodied intelligence. One of the key initiatives is the $8.2 billion National AI initiative launched in January 2025, which funds research, talent acquisition, subsidized computing resources, and sector-specific AI adoption in areas such as electric vehicles, healthcare, and biotechnology.
The Chinese AI software markets have seen a surge, with a 25% growth in Q2 2025. This growth is driven by advances in AI agents, multimodal AI models, and improving model deployment capabilities. Notable private tech giants like Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent are actively involved, often adopting open-source AI strategies to accelerate innovation and compete globally.
However, China's progress is not without challenges. U.S.-led export controls on advanced AI chips and semiconductor manufacturing equipment continue to limit China's access to cutting-edge hardware, constraining the compute power available to Chinese AI developers. Despite these constraints, Chinese firms like Huawei have managed to introduce competitive AI chips, achieving a significant share of top U.S. performance in some use cases, sometimes even with cost advantages.
In comparison, South Korea, while also investing heavily in AI, is on a smaller scale. The AI market in China, driven by a massive domestic market and government backing, gives it a competitive edge. China's focus on open-source models and expansive AI application deployment surpasses Korea's typically more incremental innovation approach, positioning China as a regional and global AI powerhouse.
The 137th Canton Fair, held in Guangzhou, China, saw a visitor inquire about a robot from DeepRobotics. The news article detailing this progress was translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and was edited by the website staff. However, no new self-contained facts about Alibaba, the 137th Canton Fair, DeepRobotics, Korea's AI strategy, the national transition, HyperClova X Think, or China's AI revolution were provided in this paragraph.
- The government's support and business strategies of China, such as the National AI initiative, are playing a significant role in China's rapid advancement towards becoming the global leader in artificial intelligence by 2030.
- The column on the progress of AI in China highlights the country's focus on open-source models and expansive AI application deployment, giving it a competitive edge over South Korea's more incremental innovation approach in the field.
- The integration of artificial intelligence, as seen in the case of DeepRobotics' robot at the 137th Canton Fair, is a clear demonstration of China's strides in AI technology and its potential to revolutionize various sectors, from robotics to healthcare.
