In this special crossover episode, I talk with TP Huang about the broader AI supply chain beyond just models and chips. We cover the new DeepSeek V4 model and China’s efforts to integrate with domestic AI chips. We talk about energy infrastructure, like inverters and transformers. And we discuss the robotics supply chain and how this overlaps with smartphones, EVs, and other industries in China.

Note: TP Huang is not on video, just audio.

00:00 Intro

01:13 DeepSeek V4 and Huawei chips

13:01 Hardware and Infrastructure Bottlenecks

21:03 Energy supply chain

29:58 Edge AI and small models

35:14 Embodied AI and robotics

39:14 China's robotics supply chain

45:43 Different tech paths

53:32 Commercializing scientific advances

58:44 Personal journeys in China tech

Links:

• Follow TP Huang on Twitter / X

• TP’s Substack and China Tech Talk podcast

For transcripts and more, check out the High Capacity newsletter.

I'm your host, Kyle Chan, a Fellow at Brookings.

This episode, I talk with Zixuan Li at Z.ai, one of China's top AI labs and the company behind the popular GLM models. Zixuan is Z.ai's Director of Product for genAI strategy and global partnerships. We discuss Z.ai's newest flagship AI model, the challenges of building agentic AI models, and what their longer AI strategy looks like.

00:00 Intro to Zixuan Li of Z.ai

00:29 GLM-5.1, Z.ai's Newest Flagship Model

04:34 Long Horizon Tasks

08:33 GLM Family of Foundation Models

14:30 Challenges in Developing Agentic AI Models

19:37 Working with Chinese AI Chipmakers

22:53 Open Source vs. Proprietary Models

36:49 Life After IPO and Chasing AGI

41:37 Z.ai's Global Strategy

Links:

• Z.ai
• GLM-5.1: Towards Long-Horizon Tasks
• Zixuan on X/Twitter

For transcripts and more, check out the High Capacity newsletter.

Rui Ma, founder of Tech Buzz China, explains the real sources of China's tech strengths and where the US still has the advantage. From industrial parks to capital markets, we talk about how to understand China's tech landscape at a deeper level -- and why so many people are eager to tour Chinese factories.Links:

• Tech Buzz China
• Tech Buzz China newsletter
• Rui Ma on X / Twitter

For transcripts and more, check out the High Capacity newsletter