Chinese artificial intelligence startup Zhipu AI has unveiled a free AI agent named AutoGLM Rumination, marking a significant development in China's rapidly evolving AI landscape. This launch underscores the intensifying competition among domestic AI firms striving to offer advanced and accessible AI solutions.
AutoGLM Rumination is designed to perform a variety of tasks autonomously, including:
According to CEO Zhang Peng, the agent is powered by Zhipu's proprietary models, notably the reasoning model GLM-Z1-Air and the foundation model GLM-4-Air-0414. The company asserts that GLM-Z1-Air matches the performance of rival DeepSeek's R1 while operating up to eight times faster and requiring only one-thirtieth of the computing resources. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/chinas-zhipu-ai-launches-free-ai-agent-intensifying-domestic-tech-race-2025-03-31/?utm_source=openai))
The release of AutoGLM Rumination follows a surge in AI product launches within China. Earlier this year, DeepSeek introduced a model that reportedly operates at substantially lower costs than U.S. counterparts, prompting a wave of innovation among Chinese AI firms. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/chinas-zhipu-ai-launches-free-ai-agent-intensifying-domestic-tech-race-2025-03-31/?utm_source=openai))
Additionally, competitor Manus recently garnered attention by marketing what it claims to be the world's first general AI agent. Unlike Manus, which charges users up to $199 monthly, Zhipu's AutoGLM Rumination is available free of charge through the company's official channels, including its GLM model website and mobile app. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/chinas-zhipu-ai-launches-free-ai-agent-intensifying-domestic-tech-race-2025-03-31/?utm_source=openai))
Founded in 2019 as a spinoff from a Tsinghua University laboratory, Zhipu AI has rapidly emerged as a leading player in China's AI sector. The company developed the GLM series of models and claims that its latest large language model, GLM4, outperforms OpenAI's GPT-4 on several benchmarks. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/chinas-zhipu-ai-launches-free-ai-agent-intensifying-domestic-tech-race-2025-03-31/?utm_source=openai))
In March 2025, Zhipu AI secured over 1 billion yuan ($137.22 million) in new funding, following a previous investment of 3 billion yuan. The funding round included participation from state-backed entities such as Hangzhou City Investment Group Industrial Fund and Shangcheng Capital. The company plans to use the funds to enhance its GLM large language model and expand its AI ecosystem, focusing on serving businesses in Zhejiang province and the Yangtze River Delta economic zone. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/chinas-zhipu-ai-raises-137-million-state-funds-bet-ai-race-2025-03-03/?utm_source=openai))
The launch of AutoGLM Rumination and the substantial funding underscore Zhipu AI's commitment to advancing AI technology and its strategic positioning within China's competitive AI market.
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