Following DeepSeek, China Sets Its Sights on Quantum Advancements in AI
China’s Advances in Artificial Intelligence
Introduction to DeepSeek AI and ManusAI
At the start of this year, China made remarkable strides in artificial intelligence (AI). The introduction of DeepSeek AI received significant attention for being more affordable than existing AI solutions. This helped it gain prominence on a global scale. Following DeepSeek AI’s success in March, another AI called ManusAI was launched and also received high praise for its effectiveness and versatility.
The Breakthrough of Origin Wukong
Recently, researchers in Hefei achieved a significant milestone by employing a genuine quantum computer, named Origin Wukong, to enhance a large AI model with an impressive one billion parameters. This achievement marks the first instance of a quantum machine being used for such a task worldwide. The Origin Wukong is notable for being China’s third-generation quantum computer, featuring 72 qubits.
Impact of Origin Wukong
The researchers successfully improved the AI’s performance by 8.4% and reduced the number of components by 76%. These enhancements not only made the AI smarter but also simplified its design. This accomplishment illustrates the potential of quantum computers in speeding up and optimizing the training of AI systems, as reported by Science and Technology Daily.
Fine-Tuning with Quantum Technology
Chen Zhaoyun, a researcher at the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Centre’s Institute of Artificial Intelligence, emphasized that this is the first practical application of a quantum computer for refining a large language model. It underscored that contemporary quantum hardware can support real-world AI training tasks effectively.
The upgraded AI model showed impressive results after being trained on mental health chat data, resulting in a 15% reduction in errors. Its performance in a math test improved significantly, with the accuracy rate rising from 68% to 82%.
What is Fine-Tuning?
Fine-tuning involves tailoring a general AI, like DeepSeek, to excel in specific areas, such as medical data analysis. Traditionally, such tasks required powerful conventional computers but often suffered from slow performance and high energy consumption.
The Advantages of Quantum Computing
Quantum computers work fundamentally differently from regular computers. They harness unique principles of physics that allow them to operate at much higher speeds. Superposition, one key principle, enables a single quantum bit (qubit) to represent multiple states simultaneously, thereby processing many possibilities at once.
Another essential concept is entanglement, which allows qubits to work together instantaneously, enabling quantum computers to explore vast combinations of AI model configurations rapidly. This capacity results in quicker training times while consuming significantly less energy compared to traditional methods.
Quantum-Weighted Tensor Hybrid Parameter Fine-Tuning
The researchers behind Origin Quantum, the company that developed the Origin Wukong, devised a novel method for adjusting AI models known as quantum-weighted tensor hybrid parameter fine-tuning. This technique merges quantum computing with classical computing to fine-tune AI settings. The quantum aspect excels at uncovering complex patterns in data, while the classical part minimizes the overall model size to reduce power requirements.
Using the Wukong chip, researchers can efficiently manage a segment of AI training data by breaking it into numerous small quantum tasks that run concurrently. Dou Menghan, a leader at Origin Quantum, highlighted that this achievement illustrates the chip’s capability to handle demanding workloads effectively.
Origin Wukong’s Commercial Use
Launched in January 2024, Origin Wukong is among the world’s leading programmable quantum computers available for commercial use. It is a superconducting model, with over 80% of its components—both hardware and software—manufactured in China, including backup systems.
By February 2025, the computer had attracted over 20 million visits from users in 139 countries, tackling numerous tasks across fields like biomedicine and finance.
Future Developments and Innovations
Guo Guoping, a prominent quantum physicist and co-founder of Origin Quantum, stated that while US quantum computers remain inaccessible to China, they are committed to scientific exploration without borders. They aim to offer their services worldwide, including to the US, emphasizing the communal benefits of quantum computing.
Additionally, Origin Quantum is in the advanced stages of developing Origin Wukong 2, a fourth-generation model that promises even greater improvements and capabilities compared to its predecessor. China is also innovating a “self-learning, self-improving” AI model that will operate without human intervention for updates and maintenance, reinforcing their leadership in the AI domain.
