China’s AI crossroads: 3 divergent paths in the race for dominance

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Iris DengFebruary 21, 2026 at 04:00 AM
China’s AI crossroads: 3 divergent paths in the race for dominance

AI Summary

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In January, Tencent CEO Pony Ma addressed employees, reflecting on the company's AI development. Ma admitted Tencent was "slow in taking action" on AI, contrasting with the rapid growth and widespread applications seen globally. This introspection occurred at a company event in Shenzhen, near Tencent's headquarters. While Ma discussed various topics, his comments on AI stood out, especially compared to competitors like Alibaba who openly share AI spending targets. Tencent's capital expenditure across all sectors in the third quarter of last year was 13 billion yuan (US$1.88 billion). Ma's remarks provide insight into Tencent's approach to the ongoing AI race in China.

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artificial intelligence 100% china 90% tencent 80% ai race 70% pony ma huateng 60% technology 50% cloud computing 40% big tech 40%

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