At Web Summit 2026, a clear signal was how China's open-source AI models are accelerating deployment on the global industrial side. Web Summit co-founder Paddy Cosgrave noted that UK fintech Revolut has replaced its OpenAI and Anthropic coding assistants with Zhipu's open-source GLM series - now the default coding model for about 2,000 engineers, cutting average coding time by roughly 60% and AI-related call costs by nearly 90%.
French telecom Orange, automaker Renault and Germany's Siemens have publicly said they use Chinese models such as DeepSeek and Tongyi Qianwen (Qwen) alongside Western alternatives. ModelBest's CEO said open-source AI lets more countries and firms obtain advanced capabilities at lower cost - its team is helping build Laos' national large model. Analysts note most Chinese models can be deployed directly on European firms' own servers, keeping data control and cost in check.
