Chinese AI startup Zhipu AI has launched a free artificial intelligence agent, stepping up the competition in the rapidly evolving domestic tech landscape. The announcement was made by CEO Zhang Peng during a product launch event in Beijing on Monday.
AutoGLM Rumination Offers Autonomous Task Execution
The new AI agent, named AutoGLM Rumination, is designed to perform autonomous tasks such as conducting web searches, creating travel itineraries, and generating research reports. It is powered by Zhipu’s proprietary models, including the reasoning model GLM-Z1-Air and foundation model GLM-4-Air-0414.
According to the company, GLM-Z1-Air matches the performance of DeepSeek’s R1 model while running eight times faster and consuming just one-thirtieth of the computing resources.
Zhipu Takes on Rivals With Free Access Model
In a market increasingly defined by cost-efficiency and performance, Zhipu’s decision to offer its AI agent free of charge marks a clear departure from recent competitor moves. Manus, a rival AI company, had previously introduced what it claimed was the world’s first general AI agent with subscription prices reaching $199 per month.
Zhipu’s agent will be accessible via its official GLM model website and mobile application, aiming to attract a broad user base amid growing interest in AI productivity tools.
Part of a Broader AI Momentum in China
Zhipu’s launch is the latest in a series of rapid AI developments in China following DeepSeek’s disruptive entry into the market with its low-cost model. The momentum reflects Beijing’s broader push for AI leadership, particularly in light of global competition.
Founded in 2019 as a spinoff from Tsinghua University, Zhipu AI has grown into a prominent player in China’s AI ecosystem. The company’s GLM series of large language models have been positioned as strong contenders to global benchmarks. Zhipu recently claimed that its GLM4 model outperforms OpenAI’s GPT-4 on several evaluation metrics.
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Backed by Government and Expanding Fast
Zhipu AI also gained attention this month for securing three rounds of government-backed funding in quick succession. The latest came from the city of Chengdu, which invested 300 million yuan (approximately $41.5 million) into the company.
With increasing support from local governments and advancements in proprietary AI models, Zhipu AI appears poised to play a central role in shaping China’s AI trajectory.
