The open-source AI platforms vying to become China’s Hugging Face
AI model platforms ModelScope and MoArk are competing to serve Chinese-speaking developers behind the Great Firewall.
Beijing's approach to managing AI involves striking a delicate balance between restricting foreign influence while maintaining access to global advancements for China's top developers. In 2023, the Chinese government blocked U.S.-based open-source platform Hugging Face, leading to a surge in domestic alternatives. ModelScope, launched in 2022, and MoArk, launched in 2023, have emerged as prominent open-model platforms in China.
ModelScope now hosts over 170,000 models, while MoArk serves approximately 20,000 models. Xu Yong, CEO of OSChina, which launched MoArk, noted that not all users can consistently use virtual private networks (VPNs).
Chinese AI developers require access to open models shared globally, and domestic platforms are considered more secure and reliable than U.S.-controlled ones. Hugging Face has become the go-to platform for sharing open models and datasets, attracting over 20 million users. In September, Nvidia announced its acquisition of Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, recognizing the platform's importance in the growing adoption of open-source AI models.
The Chinese government has not explicitly disclosed the reasons behind the Hugging Face ban, but it frequently blocks websites deemed harmful. While Chinese citizens may face penalties for circumventing the Great Firewall, VPN usage is common in the tech industry. Chinese programmers often utilize global open-source platforms like GitHub to share censored content.
Despite a previous ban in 2013, GitHub access was restored later. In 2020, the Chinese government endorsed Gitee, a domestic GitHub alternative owned by OSChina, although GitHub remains popular in China as a gateway to the global software community.
Chinese AI companies are actively releasing powerful open models on Hugging Face, enabling widespread download and deployment worldwide. However, domestic platforms like ModelScope and MoArk offer similar services, including model testing and customization. These platforms provide free usage with charges for additional computing power and advanced features.
Despite the limited number of models on these Chinese platforms compared to Hugging Face, efforts are underway to adapt AI models for compatibility with Chinese chips, aiming to establish China's position in the global AI ecosystem.
Written by urgent.news from Rest of World Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
