China has become the world's largest provider of open-source AI large models

At the 2025 OpenAtom Developer Conference held in Beijing, Academician Ni Guangnan of the Chinese Academy of Engineering emphasized that China has become the world’s largest provider of open-source artificial intelligence large models, with models such as Qwen, DeepSeek, and Kimi delivering outstanding performance in international evaluations. He noted that open-source technology is emerging as a critical driver of global information technology advancement, particularly in the rapidly evolving AI field.

Ni stated that the trend toward open source aligns with the demands of our times and reflects the innovative vitality of the global IT sector. He highlighted that China’s 14th Five-Year Plan explicitly calls for expanding openness and promoting international scientific and technological collaboration—laying a solid foundation for the country’s open-source initiatives. As technology continues to advance, Chinese enterprises are increasingly engaging in the global open-source ecosystem and taking the lead in innovation.

According to Ni, the OpenEuler community now boasts over 2,100 member organizations and more than 23,000 developers worldwide, with cumulative global downloads exceeding 5.5 million. These figures underscore China’s growing influence in the open-source operating system domain and reflect the enthusiasm and dynamism of its developer community.

Ni pointed out that the AI wave is reshaping industrial landscapes, and China’s national “AI+” strategy will bring both new opportunities and challenges to operating systems. As a foundational layer of technological development, server operating systems are transitioning toward native AI integration—a shift that signifies not only a technical upgrade but also a crucial step toward China’s self-reliance and strength in science and technology.

In closing, he called for continued commitment to a global development strategy, advancing open-source collaboration and co-innovation, and harnessing the collective wisdom of developers worldwide to jointly build a new Chinese software ecosystem characterized by technological leadership, thriving ecosystems, and abundant talent.