HiDream.ai, an AI firm based in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone, made global headlines recently as its open-source image generation model HiDream-I1 topped the board of Artificial Analysis' arena rankings just 24 hours after release. This marks the first time a Chinese-developed generative AI model has claimed the top one spot in image generation, challenging industry giants like GPT-4o and signaling a potential shift in the global AI landscape.

The breakthrough came amid China's accelerating AI revolution. Recent years have seen unprecedented advances in core technologies, novel applications, and emerging business models, positioning AI as a driving force in the latest wave of technological revolution.

Recently, Hefei-based Origin Quantum's third-generation superconducting quantum computer, Origin Wukong, successfully fine-tuned a 1-billion-parameter AI mode.

China's AI sector, evolving from early-stage model development to specialized applications and multi-domain innovations, now offers vast market opportunities. This growth is fueled by government policies including R&D subsidies, industrial park development, and talent cultivation programs.

China Speech Valley [Photo/WeChat ID: hefeigaoxinfabu]

A decade ago, the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone laid the groundwork by establishing China Speech Valley with support from national ministries, Anhui province, and Hefei city. The zone has represented the nation's first AI-focused industrial base centered around iFlytek. This initiative spurred the agglomeration of AI enterprises.

As a national-level intelligent speech and AI industrial base, China Speech Valley has integrated over 100 AI innovation platforms, including the National Open Innovation Platform for Next Generation Artificial Intelligence on Intelligent Speech and the National Intelligent Voice Innovation Center. The concentration of these platforms has provided critical support for technological innovation and industrial development.

At the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan, iFlytek showcased its AI Monkey King, a trilingual (Chinese/Japanese/English) interactive system powered by the domestically developed Spark model, representing the China Pavilion’s sole large-model exhibit. In March, iFlytek also unveiled its upgraded Spark X1 deep reasoning model, matching the mathematical capabilities of DeepSeek's 671B-parameter R1 and OpenAI's o1.

VSTC, a national high-tech enterprise in the zone, has developed therapeutic robots integrating traditional Chinese medicine diagnostics. Equipped with vision systems, these robots perform observation, auscultation, inquiry, and diagnosis, revolutionizing AI-powered healthcare.

As Hefei maintains its status as China's AI innovation hub, its homegrown tech leaders are spearheading the "AI plus" era, blending cutting-edge research with transformative real-world applications.