{"slug": "us-aims-to-dominate-ai-but-chinas-open-source-approach-is-unstoppable", "title": "US aims to dominate AI but China’s open-source approach is unstoppable", "summary": "China's open-source AI models, including Moonshot AI's Kimi K3 and Alibaba's Qwen3.8-Max-Preview, are closing the gap with US rivals at a fraction of the cost, according to a South China Morning Post opinion piece. The article argues that US threats of sanctions are unfounded and that China's open-source approach is unstoppable, benefiting developing nations and positioning Hong Kong as an AI hub.", "body_md": "# US aims to dominate AI but China’s open-source approach is unstoppable\n\nWashington’s fear of China’s rapid AI progress is evident in US officials trotting out tired accusations and threatening sanctions\n\n[Kimi K3](https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3360885/moonshot-ai-unveils-worlds-largest-open-source-ai-model-china-narrows-gap-us-rivals?module=inline&pgtype=article)and Alibaba’s\n\n[Qwen3.8-Max-Preview](https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3361119/alibaba-says-newest-qwen-ai-model-second-only-anthropics-claude-fable-5?module=inline&pgtype=article)have been called a\n\n[second DeepSeek moment](https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3361387/another-deepseek-moment-what-chinas-kimi-k3-means-global-ai-industry?module=inline&pgtype=article), but this time, it’s a one-two punch. China is catching up with the United States in the AI race more quickly than previously estimated. Its AI models charge a fraction of the fees levied by their US rivals.\n\nBecause they are open-source, anyone moderately skilled in the new tech can create bespoke programmes, unlike the restrictive use imposed by AI providers in the US. Alibaba’s and Moonshot’s latest models outperform all competitors except the most advanced US models on overall capability. Alibaba owns this newspaper.\n\nYou can tell China’s AI is posing a significant challenge when US officials such as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent resort to their old playbook: levelling unfounded accusations about intellectual property theft and threatening investigation and sanctions.\n\nChina’s open-source AI is unstoppable. It aims to provide global benefits. As President Xi Jinping said at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, there needs to be a more open and inclusive approach to support AI use and adoption in the Global South. While calling for “openness” and regulations to keep the technology “secure and controllable”, we must also avoid creating “new historical injustice” with uneven tech development.\n\nChina must act responsibly, regardless of what the US does with its own tech. Ironically, the US is among advanced economies where China’s cost-efficient AI models have been most popular. China’s AI will help developing nations advance economically and technologically, just as the spread of affordable Chinese 5G telecoms systems has greatly benefited them.\n\nHong Kong could be the most immediate beneficiary. The city has both the financial and legal infrastructure, as well as the tech base with our universities, to serve as an AI hub. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has said Hong Kong is ideal for AI commercialisation and a springboard for mainland Chinese companies in the tech field to expand overseas. The cooperation of the local government, universities and the private sector will generate a critical mass for research and development, a launch pad for global applications, a wide talent pool and end-to-end financial and office support.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/us-aims-to-dominate-ai-but-chinas-open-source-approach-is-unstoppable", "canonical_source": "https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3361958/us-aims-dominate-ai-chinas-open-source-approach-unstoppable?utm_source=rss_feed", "published_at": "2026-07-27 23:15:07+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-27 23:27:28.708672+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-policy", "ai-research", "ai-products"], "entities": ["Moonshot AI", "Alibaba", "Scott Bessent", "Xi Jinping", "Paul Chan Mo-po", "South China Morning Post", "Kimi K3", "Qwen3.8-Max-Preview"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/us-aims-to-dominate-ai-but-chinas-open-source-approach-is-unstoppable", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/us-aims-to-dominate-ai-but-chinas-open-source-approach-is-unstoppable.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/us-aims-to-dominate-ai-but-chinas-open-source-approach-is-unstoppable.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/us-aims-to-dominate-ai-but-chinas-open-source-approach-is-unstoppable.jsonld"}}