Zhipu AI, a Chinese AI startup backed by Beijing, is rapidly expanding its global influence by targeting emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The company offers sovereign AI infrastructure and hardware to governments and enterprises, often partnering with Huawei. With over $1.4 billion in state investment, Zhipu AI forms part of China's strategy to build a self-sufficient AI ecosystem competing with Western technology. Though OpenAI maintains a technological lead in some areas, Zhipu AI stands as China's top domestic model and filed for IPO guidance in April 2025. Its expansion represents a significant shift in the global AI power balance between China and the United States.