China’s Zhipu AI Launches Free AI Agent, Intensifying Domestic Tech Race

Words reading "Artificial intelligence AI", miniature of robot and toy hand are pictured in this illustration taken December 14, 2023. (Reuters)
Words reading "Artificial intelligence AI", miniature of robot and toy hand are pictured in this illustration taken December 14, 2023. (Reuters)
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China’s Zhipu AI Launches Free AI Agent, Intensifying Domestic Tech Race

Words reading "Artificial intelligence AI", miniature of robot and toy hand are pictured in this illustration taken December 14, 2023. (Reuters)
Words reading "Artificial intelligence AI", miniature of robot and toy hand are pictured in this illustration taken December 14, 2023. (Reuters)

Chinese artificial intelligence startup Zhipu AI unveiled a free AI agent on Monday, joining a wave of similar launches in China's increasingly competitive AI market.

The product, called AutoGLM Rumination, can perform deep research as well as tasks including web searches, travel planning, and research report writing, CEO Zhang Peng said at a lunch event in Beijing.

The agent is powered by Zhipu's proprietary models, including its reasoning model GLM-Z1-Air and foundation model GLM-4-Air-0414. The company claims GLM-Z1-Air matches rival DeepSeek's R1 in performance while running up to eight times faster and requiring only one-thirtieth of the computing resources.

AI agents are systems designed to make decisions and execute a range of tasks autonomously.

The launch follows a surge in Chinese AI product releases after DeepSeek shook the industry earlier this year with a model that it said operated at substantially lower costs than US rivals.

It also comes weeks after competitor Manus sparked interest with what it marketed as the world's first general AI agent.

While Manus charges users up to $199 monthly, Zhipu's AutoGLM Rumination will be available free of charge through the company's official channels, including its GLM model website and mobile app.

Zhipu AI, founded in 2019 as a spinoff from a Tsinghua University laboratory, has emerged as one of China's leading AI startups.

The company, which developed the GLM series of models, claims its latest large language model GLM4 outperforms OpenAI's GPT-4 on several benchmarks.

The startup made headlines earlier this month after securing three consecutive rounds of government-backed funding in a single month. The most recent investment came from the city of Chengdu, which injected 300 million yuan ($41.5 million) into the company.



TikTok Says to Increase Investment in Britain

Around half the UK population, more than 30 million people, use TikTok each month. Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP
Around half the UK population, more than 30 million people, use TikTok each month. Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP
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TikTok Says to Increase Investment in Britain

Around half the UK population, more than 30 million people, use TikTok each month. Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP
Around half the UK population, more than 30 million people, use TikTok each month. Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

TikTok plans to raise its investment in the UK, its biggest community in Europe, with the creation of 500 more jobs, the Chinese-owned social media giant announced Monday.

The news coincided with the start of London's Tech Week, which sees British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcoming some of sector's biggest firms.

"TikTok's UK workforce will grow to 3,000 this year with the addition of more than 500 jobs," the company said in a statement.

It added that it was investing in a new London office, set to open next year, and whose size will dwarf its current UK head office.

It will take TikTok's investment in UK infrastructure to around £140 million ($190 million), the group said.

Around half the UK population, more than 30 million people, use TikTok each month, making it the platform's "largest user-community in Europe", the statement added.

"Whether through direct investment in jobs and innovation, or the wider economic contribution from millions of British businesses on TikTok, we're pleased to be increasing our investment and presence here in the UK," said Adam Presser, director of TikTok UK and global head of operations and trust and safety.

TikTok has been in the crosshairs of Western governments for years over fears personal data could be used by China for espionage or propaganda purposes.

"What underpins our continued growth is our deep commitment to safety and to creating an enjoyable and secure digital space to sustainably support creators, entrepreneurs and the wider economy, which is why we also invest significantly in safety," Presser added Monday.