According to Bloomberg News, OpenAI, ChatGPT's parent company, is expected to temporarily stop providing services in China from July 9. This decision is said to be a potential boost for the country's domestic artificial intelligence (AI) industry, as more than 200 Chinese companies are developing LLM technology, and 117 LLMs have been approved. Released as of March 2024.
Information about OpenAI's ban has caused a stir in the Chinese technology community. While some opinions expressed concern about the negative impact on domestic AI development, experts said that this could be the driving force for the domestic AI industry to explode.
Mr. Zhou Hongyi, founder and CEO of cybersecurity company Qihoo 360, one of the businesses developing LLM, affirmed on social networks: "OpenAI closing its doors to China will only push the local LLM industry to explode." explode".
Previously, using VPNs to access OpenAI and other foreign services became popular in China. However, OpenAI's upcoming API ban is expected to push domestic users to switch to homegrown solutions. Seizing the opportunity, a series of Chinese technology giants have launched attractive support programs to attract OpenAI users.
Zhipu AI, a startup expected to be a formidable competitor of OpenAI, has pioneered a "special migration plan" on WeChat, supporting OpenAI users in converting to the domestic LLM platform. Alibaba, Baidu, Baichuan, 01.AI,... also simultaneously launched incentive programs, from deep discounts, free tokens, technical support, to the LLM commitment to "match" OpenAI in terms of features.
Microsoft, OpenAI's biggest supporter, also posted instructions on WeChat on how to switch to the service run by local partner 21Vianet.
According to Zhang Yi, founder and analyst at iiMedia Research, the quick response of the Chinese AI community clearly shows that the race for market share is heating up. Since the beginning of 2024, a price war has broken out among Chinese AI "giants", with many companies, including Baidu, aggressively providing low-configuration AI models for free to attract users.
OpenAI's ban, whether accidentally or intentionally, could become a boost for China's AI industry. With abundant technological potential and human resources, along with supportive policies from the government, China is fully capable of turning challenges into opportunities, affirming its position as an AI powerhouse in the international arena.