BEIJING, July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) today released a new white paper, China and the Global AI Race, revealing how China is leveraging its unique strengths in manufacturing, data, and a burgeoning startup scene to carve out a leadership role in artificial intelligence. As CKGSB Dean Li Haitao emphasizes, "AI is no longer just a sector – it is the architecture of a new global economy…And China's role in this transition is increasingly strategic."

Drawing on insights from CKGSB faculty and industry experts, the report dissects China's AI strategy on four fronts: the open-source revolution, workforce transformation, intelligent robotics, and AI ecosystem development. 

The paper highlights the disruptive impact of open-source AI, pointing to the breakthrough DeepSeek R1 model, which offers powerful performance with lower hardware costs. This development could fundamentally alter the U.S.-China tech competition. As Professor of Strategic Management Teng Bingsheng explains, "China may not have to fight a chip war to the same extent...Companies will use engineering innovations to get around computational capacity, and that is a great opportunity."

The paper also examines the human dimension of this transformation, analyzing how AI reshapes leadership and the workforce. Instead of replacing jobs, it creates demand for new skills and the emergence of what CKGSB Dean's Distinguished Chair Professor of Information Systems Sun Tianshu calls "AI Architects"—a new generation of business leaders focused on integrating intelligence into core operations. "The challenge is no longer about access to intelligence, but about how to integrate it effectively," says Sun.

The report identifies robotics as the next pivotal area for growth. "The physical world will become the space of highest potential for AI development in the next few years," notes Sun. CKGSB alumnus Li Mingyang, Chairman of Jaka Robotics Co., adds, "China already has an advanced smart vehicle industry, which is fit for scaled mass production of the core components for robotics."

Together, these insights paint a picture of a country not just participating in the AI race, but actively mapping out its future. China and the Global AI Race provides an essential guide for business leaders, policymakers, and anyone seeking to understand the trajectory of 21st-century technology and economic power.

The full white paper is available for download on the CKGSB official website HERE.