Joe Tsai said China’s Artificial Intelligence breakthroughs in recent years stem from the country’s strategic strengthening of its power grid, commitment to open-source models and complete manufacturing supply chain. He described those factors as core advantages that support both development and deployment across the sector.
Speaking at the China Development Forum 2026 in Beijing, Tsai said geopolitical complexities are deeply affecting supply chain security and the sharing of technological achievements. He said that in an environment of uncertainty, China’s technology sector is both willing and capable of providing certainty.
Over the past decade, China had continuously increased investment in power transmission, with annual spending in recent years averaging US$90 billion – the highest in the world – leading to newly installed power generation capacity last year that was 10 times that of the US, he said. Tsai said that in the Artificial Intelligence industry, which is extremely energy-intensive, such massive investment has directly translated into advantages in ample supply and low cost, forming a solid foundation.
Tsai said the ultimate goal of developing Artificial Intelligence was not to build the most cutting-edge models but to proliferate its application to benefit society. He said open-source models had enabled China’s Artificial Intelligence sector to break down barriers, ensuring that Artificial Intelligence is no longer the privilege of a few giants.
He added that widespread adoption would drive shared global economic growth and improvements in living standards, achieving a win-win outcome. The comments presented China’s strengths in infrastructure, industrial depth and open development as a basis for broader Artificial Intelligence adoption.
