<bold>Research and reflections on model of China</bold>’<bold>s AI open-source innovation ecosystem</bold>

Open-source innovation, leveraging its strengths in collective collaboration and agile development, is increasingly becoming a core driver reshaping innovation paradigms and industrial ecosystems in the global artificial intelligence field. As a significant force in global technological development, China is actively promoting technology enterprises, research institutes, universities, and other diverse entities to deeply integrate into the construction of the global AI open-source innovation system through policy guidance, community building, and breakthroughs in large models. Based on the practical experience of building China’s AI open-source innovation ecosystem, this study systematically examines the current development status and challenges. By analyzing the operational models of key actors, including large technology companies, startups, new types of research institutions, and open source communities, it summarizes distinctive pathways for constructing an open-source ecosystem with Chinese characteristics. Building on this foundation, the study explores possible paths for China’s strategic transition from being a “participant” and “contributor” in open source to becoming a “leader”, aiming to provide insights for policymaking to invigorate the domestic open-source ecosystem and strengthen international discourse power in open source-related matters.