Eastern Shift for AI Tech Hub: The Emergence of a New Growth Engine
AI Tech Hub Shifts East: Emerging Growth Engine Explore the latest developments as the AI technology hub transitions eastward, signaling the rise of a new growth engine in the industry. This shift not only redefines regional dynamics but also holds significant implications for innovation, investment, and collaboration in the AI landscape. Join us in examining the factors driving this movement and the potential it has to reshape the future of artificial intelligence.
TroibNews 
**Editor's note:** Tian Feng is the former dean of Chinese AI software giant SenseTime's Intelligence Industry Research Institute. The article reflects the authors' opinions and not necessarily the views of CN.
As the global epicenter of technological innovation shifts eastward, China is positioning itself as a pivotal force in the realms of artificial intelligence and advanced robotics. Thanks to a vast reservoir of scientific talent and a thriving industrial ecosystem, the nation is swiftly translating new qualitative productive forces into tangible applications. From the meteoric rise of AI assistant DeepSeek to advancements in humanoid and quadruped robotics, China's technological momentum is redefining industries and daily life. This article delves into how China is propelling itself forward in AI-driven innovation while solidifying its status as a global tech powerhouse.
**Emergence of New Quality Productive Forces: Global Innovation Hub Migrates Eastward**
Historically, five key transnational and regional transitions have marked the global center of scientific and technological innovation. Each surge in productivity has drawn substantial flows of global innovative resources.
During the Renaissance, the Four Great Inventions of China—paper-making, the compass, gunpowder, and printing—traveled to Europe via the Silk Road, igniting the development of human-powered mechanical productivity in Italy and establishing it as the global innovation hub. By the mid-18th century, Britain's industrial advancements, such as the spinning jenny and Watt's steam engine, propelled the country into prominence.
The late 18th into the early 19th centuries saw France pioneer the world's first university-level engineering education, significantly enhancing steel production through novel engineering techniques. Meanwhile, Germany introduced a research-intensive graduate education system that married theoretical knowledge with practical application, thereby becoming a center for fundamental physics. The Second Industrial Revolution saw the U.S. establish itself as the innovation powerhouse, thanks to groundbreaking innovations like Ford's assembly line and the Silicon Valley semiconductor sector.
As we moved into the 21st century, developed economies began experiencing industrial decline, leading to an acceleration of Asia's new-style industrialization. Increased investment in R&D and a systematic migration of global high-end innovation resources to Asia have emerged. Regions such as China's Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration are evolving into world-class hardtech innovation centers.
According to the **China Science and Technology Talent Development Report**, by 2020, China boasted over 110 million science and technology professionals, establishing it as the most extensive and comprehensive talent pool globally. The global flow of young tech talent will influence the emergence of future hubs of scientific innovation.
**DeepSeek Goes Viral: New Quality Productive Forces Soar into Everyday Life**
Affordable and user-friendly AI tools represent new quality productive forces. Across China, elementary school students are turning to DeepSeek for homework assistance, while individuals of all ages are encouraged to simply "ask DeepSeek when encountering work or life problems—it’s free!"
This "magic spell" for AI assistance has been embraced by billions, leading numerous central state-owned and private enterprises to implement DeepSeek across various applications, including overseas marketing, customer service, data analysis, manufacturing, financial risk management, and office tasks.
On January 27, 2025, the DeepSeek R1 app simultaneously reached the top of both the Chinese and U.S. free app charts on Apple's App Store, outperforming ChatGPT to become the number one app globally. It amassed 100 million users in just 14 days—a staggering achievement nearly four times faster than ChatGPT's 61-day climb. Remarkably, just eight days following the Spring Festival holiday, the **Global Times** reported that China’s generative AI user base had surpassed 250 million, showcasing a truly impressive "popular base" for AI.
**Chinese Robots Take Strides: AI Labor Force Enters Every Industry**
As large language models such as DeepSeek provide knowledge services to millions in China, embodied intelligence from companies like Unitree Robotics, DEEP Robotics, and BrainCo is making significant global strides across various industries. Unitree’s humanoid robot—costing only 24 percent of Tesla's Optimus for a single joint—has become China’s first comprehensive humanoid robot capable of autonomously walking and running on complex terrain. This paves the way for its integration into intelligent manufacturing tasks like heavy lifting and screw tightening via 3D LiDAR and depth cameras for real-time perception and data analysis in high-precision production environments.
Unitree's quadruped robots are already engaged in 24-hour inspections and maintenance in intricate environments, including power grids, substations, urban underground pipelines, factories, industrial parks, and disaster zones. They can stand in for firefighters in dynamic fire scenes to conduct reconnaissance, provide emergency response, and assist in rescue missions. Delivering vital decision-making support during disasters, these robots relay firsthand information, utilize infrared sensors to detect life signs, and create real-time virtual models of emergency sites. They also navigate hazardous conditions to supply rescuers. Notably, Singapore's power system is leveraging DEEP Robotics' X30 quadruped robot, marking a significant milestone for Chinese robots entering the international power sector.
The rapid progression of China's core AI technology stems from multiple factors. Firstly, China's dynamic innovation policies have fostered a nurturing environment, consistently attracting both overseas and domestic tech talent. Financially, investments focus on early-stage and technology-driven initiatives, harmoniously aligning with large-scale efforts aimed at fortifying industry innovations. Moreover, China's manufacturing capabilities are robust, extending across 31 major, 179 medium, and 609 minor categories.
In comparison, Chinese engineers receive just a third of what their counterparts in Silicon Valley earn, yet they exhibit unwavering dedication and achieve remarkable successes.
"If foreigners can achieve it, why can't we? Are we Chinese inherently inferior?" Qian Xuesen, a pioneer of China's "Two Bombs, One Satellite" program, remarked 70 years ago.
In a bold declaration today, Liang Wenfeng, the founder of DeepSeek, asserts that China must transition from being a follower to asserting its role as a contributor to technology, positioning itself at the leading edge of innovation.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
As the global epicenter of technological innovation shifts eastward, China is positioning itself as a pivotal force in the realms of artificial intelligence and advanced robotics. Thanks to a vast reservoir of scientific talent and a thriving industrial ecosystem, the nation is swiftly translating new qualitative productive forces into tangible applications. From the meteoric rise of AI assistant DeepSeek to advancements in humanoid and quadruped robotics, China's technological momentum is redefining industries and daily life. This article delves into how China is propelling itself forward in AI-driven innovation while solidifying its status as a global tech powerhouse.
**Emergence of New Quality Productive Forces: Global Innovation Hub Migrates Eastward**
Historically, five key transnational and regional transitions have marked the global center of scientific and technological innovation. Each surge in productivity has drawn substantial flows of global innovative resources.
During the Renaissance, the Four Great Inventions of China—paper-making, the compass, gunpowder, and printing—traveled to Europe via the Silk Road, igniting the development of human-powered mechanical productivity in Italy and establishing it as the global innovation hub. By the mid-18th century, Britain's industrial advancements, such as the spinning jenny and Watt's steam engine, propelled the country into prominence.
The late 18th into the early 19th centuries saw France pioneer the world's first university-level engineering education, significantly enhancing steel production through novel engineering techniques. Meanwhile, Germany introduced a research-intensive graduate education system that married theoretical knowledge with practical application, thereby becoming a center for fundamental physics. The Second Industrial Revolution saw the U.S. establish itself as the innovation powerhouse, thanks to groundbreaking innovations like Ford's assembly line and the Silicon Valley semiconductor sector.
As we moved into the 21st century, developed economies began experiencing industrial decline, leading to an acceleration of Asia's new-style industrialization. Increased investment in R&D and a systematic migration of global high-end innovation resources to Asia have emerged. Regions such as China's Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration are evolving into world-class hardtech innovation centers.
According to the **China Science and Technology Talent Development Report**, by 2020, China boasted over 110 million science and technology professionals, establishing it as the most extensive and comprehensive talent pool globally. The global flow of young tech talent will influence the emergence of future hubs of scientific innovation.
**DeepSeek Goes Viral: New Quality Productive Forces Soar into Everyday Life**
Affordable and user-friendly AI tools represent new quality productive forces. Across China, elementary school students are turning to DeepSeek for homework assistance, while individuals of all ages are encouraged to simply "ask DeepSeek when encountering work or life problems—it’s free!"
This "magic spell" for AI assistance has been embraced by billions, leading numerous central state-owned and private enterprises to implement DeepSeek across various applications, including overseas marketing, customer service, data analysis, manufacturing, financial risk management, and office tasks.
On January 27, 2025, the DeepSeek R1 app simultaneously reached the top of both the Chinese and U.S. free app charts on Apple's App Store, outperforming ChatGPT to become the number one app globally. It amassed 100 million users in just 14 days—a staggering achievement nearly four times faster than ChatGPT's 61-day climb. Remarkably, just eight days following the Spring Festival holiday, the **Global Times** reported that China’s generative AI user base had surpassed 250 million, showcasing a truly impressive "popular base" for AI.
**Chinese Robots Take Strides: AI Labor Force Enters Every Industry**
As large language models such as DeepSeek provide knowledge services to millions in China, embodied intelligence from companies like Unitree Robotics, DEEP Robotics, and BrainCo is making significant global strides across various industries. Unitree’s humanoid robot—costing only 24 percent of Tesla's Optimus for a single joint—has become China’s first comprehensive humanoid robot capable of autonomously walking and running on complex terrain. This paves the way for its integration into intelligent manufacturing tasks like heavy lifting and screw tightening via 3D LiDAR and depth cameras for real-time perception and data analysis in high-precision production environments.
Unitree's quadruped robots are already engaged in 24-hour inspections and maintenance in intricate environments, including power grids, substations, urban underground pipelines, factories, industrial parks, and disaster zones. They can stand in for firefighters in dynamic fire scenes to conduct reconnaissance, provide emergency response, and assist in rescue missions. Delivering vital decision-making support during disasters, these robots relay firsthand information, utilize infrared sensors to detect life signs, and create real-time virtual models of emergency sites. They also navigate hazardous conditions to supply rescuers. Notably, Singapore's power system is leveraging DEEP Robotics' X30 quadruped robot, marking a significant milestone for Chinese robots entering the international power sector.
The rapid progression of China's core AI technology stems from multiple factors. Firstly, China's dynamic innovation policies have fostered a nurturing environment, consistently attracting both overseas and domestic tech talent. Financially, investments focus on early-stage and technology-driven initiatives, harmoniously aligning with large-scale efforts aimed at fortifying industry innovations. Moreover, China's manufacturing capabilities are robust, extending across 31 major, 179 medium, and 609 minor categories.
In comparison, Chinese engineers receive just a third of what their counterparts in Silicon Valley earn, yet they exhibit unwavering dedication and achieve remarkable successes.
"If foreigners can achieve it, why can't we? Are we Chinese inherently inferior?" Qian Xuesen, a pioneer of China's "Two Bombs, One Satellite" program, remarked 70 years ago.
In a bold declaration today, Liang Wenfeng, the founder of DeepSeek, asserts that China must transition from being a follower to asserting its role as a contributor to technology, positioning itself at the leading edge of innovation.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
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