China-US AI Blitz... In 2026, the "AI Expansion Period" has just begun

The first week of 2026 has opened the door to a new era. Amidst a relatively calm flow, the artificial intelligence industry continues to rise as the central axis of the global technology market. Especially, AI companies originating from China are rapidly expanding, greatly enhancing market expectations. From the evolution of unmanned automation, physical AI, and generative models to large-scale infrastructure construction, various AI-related news are flooding in. Meanwhile, corporate IPO pipelines and large mergers and acquisitions are also vibrant.

In China, major companies such as the Dark Side of the Moon, Zhipu AI, MiniMax, Biran Technology, and Baidu’s AI chip subsidiary Kunlun Chip have consecutively announced IPO plans, launching an official AI funding race. The Dark Side of the Moon recently raised $500 million, establishing a solid investment foundation; Zhipu AI plans to raise $560 million through a Hong Kong listing. As investments in new technologies like physical AI officially commence, AI service development with specific user touchpoints is also highly anticipated.

In the United States, Meta Platforms has acquired startup Manus to strengthen “agent AI” technology, signaling a return to the enterprise AI market. OpenAI, which plans to release a new speech-based AI model, and NVIDIA, which is focusing on powerful startups in the large language model field such as AI21 Labs, also show major movements. Additionally, SoftBank has invested $22.5 billion in OpenAI, officially expanding AI infrastructure.

On the other hand, Elon Musk’s xAI announced that it has increased the power capacity of its dedicated AI data center “Colossus” to 2 gigawatts; it is rumored that NVIDIA has asked TSMC to expand production of the next-generation H200 chips to meet surging demand in China. Strengthening these infrastructures is becoming the foundation for AI factory expansion and a core means of gaining advantages in the global technological hegemony.

Security issues are also a hot topic. Ubisoft’s gaming services experienced system outages due to large-scale hacker attacks, and there are claims that millions of user data from Condé Nast’s “Wired” magazine have been leaked. In response, the US and Australian governments have issued warnings about the “MongoBleed” vulnerability and are taking steps to strengthen defenses. The European Space Agency is also investigating a 200GB data leak caused by hackers.

On the policy front, the Chinese government has released guidelines for regulating humanoid AI companion applications, while in the US, OpenAI is recruiting senior officials responsible for enhancing AI safety, such as a “Preparedness Officer.” Concerns about AI ethics and control continue to rise, with governments and enterprises worldwide formally launching policy responses.

Thus, from the beginning of the new year, the AI industry has demonstrated synchronized developments across technology, funding, policy, and security. Against the backdrop of a global technological landscape being reshaped around AI, 2026 is likely to become a watershed year for the “AI expansion period.”