# Young Chinese AI researchers are gaining power over top labs' model decisions

> Original title: China's Young AI Power Brokers

- Source: X.PIN
- Published: 2026-10-22T18:06:44.000Z
- Bad Influence: https://badinfluence.news/items/ion16vpcjoa5r80ftqjwzxygz
- Original: https://x.com/thexpin/status/2113331232603873509

## Summary

X.PIN reports a LatePost feature on how researchers in their late 20s and early 30s are gaining influence inside Chinese AI companies, including Zhipu AI, Kimi, Xiaomi, Alibaba and Tencent. The article cites Kimi CEO Yang Zhilin delaying K3 training to test an architecture change, and Zhipu's shift toward coding, which it says passed RMB 100 million in annual recurring revenue by December.

## Why it matters

The piece traces how young Chinese AI researchers gain influence over costly model decisions through technical judgment, a shift in how power is distributed inside AI labs.

## Post

https://x.com/i/article/2113330179271491584