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Chinese Users Line Up for AI Assistant Installations as Adoption Surges 142%
Dozens of people assembled outside a Beijing tech headquarters on a recent weekday to install the AI agent OpenClaw, with similar events in Shenzhen earlier this year. Usage of generative AI in China has surged to over 600 million people, driven by integrations from companies like Tencent and Alibaba. Government plans aim to boost AI integration in sectors including healthcare and education.
The IndependentAudio version
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Around 50 people gathered outside the headquarters of a Chinese mobile internet company in Beijing on a recent weekday, seeking help to install an artificial intelligence assistant known as OpenClaw. These events highlight the rapid embrace of AI tools across China, with scenes repeating for days at multiple locations.
Sun Lei, a 41-year-old human resources manager, attended the Cheetah event in Beijing and said she worried about falling behind in technological developments. She hoped the OpenClaw tool would assist her in sourcing and screening resumes across various recruitment platforms.
DeepSeek, a Chinese rival to OpenAI, released an advanced AI model more than a year ago, marking a key milestone in the country's AI progress. Last month, DeepSeek released a preview of its V4 AI model, supported in part by computer chips made by Chinese tech giant Huawei. These developments underscore China's push to reduce dependence on foreign technology.
4 billion population were using generative AI as of December, according to the China Internet Network Information Center. This figure represents a 142% increase from a year earlier.
U.S. Models, as tracked by OpenRouter, an AI gateway platform. Jason Tong, a 64-year-old retiree in Shanghai and former IT engineer, has used AI chatbots such as Doubao and Kimi for everyday queries since their introduction a few years ago. In early March, he joined a blood glucose monitoring service run by a Shanghai-based company that employs an AI model to generate tailored health advice.
