China's AI Leaders Shine in Time's 2025 Top 100 List
China's AI Pioneers Recognized Among Global Elite
Three of China's most prominent tech entrepreneurs have been honored in Time Magazine's prestigious 2025 list of the 100 Most Influential People in Artificial Intelligence. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, DeepSeek creator Liang Wenfeng, and Unitree Technology founder Wang Xingxing join international luminaries like Elon Musk (xAI), Sam Altman (OpenAI), and NVIDIA's Jensen Huang in the "Leaders" category.
China's AI Industry Boom
The recognition comes as China solidifies its position as a global AI powerhouse. According to the China Internet Network Information Center, the country's AI industry surpassed ¥700 billion ($100 billion) in value during 2024, maintaining an impressive >20% annual growth rate for multiple consecutive years.
In H1 2025 alone, China registered 346 generative AI services with the Cyberspace Administration, demonstrating rapid technological adoption across diverse applications.
Standout Performers
DeepSeek: The Unicorn Phenomenon
Liang Wenfeng's DeepSeek has emerged as one of the fastest-growing AI platforms globally:
- Achieved 30 million daily active users within 20 days of launch
- Topped app charts in 140 countries/regions
- Recent DeepSeek-V3.1 update introduced major upgrades to:
- Hybrid reasoning architecture
- Cognitive efficiency
- Agent capabilities
Unitree: Commercialization Champion
Wang Xingxing's robotics firm shows remarkable financial health:
- ¥1 billion+ annual revenue
- Profitable since 2020 (5 consecutive years)
- Completed 10 funding rounds at ¥10B+ valuation
- Major investors include Tencent, Alibaba, and China Mobile
- Currently preparing for IPO with regulatory guidance underway
Huawei: The Established Powerhouse
Under Ren Zhengfei's leadership:
- Developed cutting-edge AI chips enhancing China's competitive edge
- Increased investments across:
- ICT infrastructure
- Intelligent vehicles
- Cloud computing
- Embodied intelligence
- Rotating Chairman Ken Hu emphasized "multi-business sector synergies" during Q2 earnings call
Key Points
- 🏆 Three Chinese entrepreneurs join Time's elite AI list alongside Musk, Altman
- 📈 China's AI industry exceeds $100B value with sustained >20% growth
- 🚀 DeepSeek achieves unprecedented global adoption rates
- 💰 Unitree demonstrates rare profitability in competitive robotics market
- 🔌 Huawei strengthens China's semiconductor independence through AI chip development
