Author: Nadia Jiang, Translator & Reviewer: Ted Liu
Since 2015, when Kaiyuanshe first released the "China Open-Source Ecosystem Report," the "China Open-Source Annual Report" has now reached its 10th year. Except for a brief pause in 2017, Kaiyuanshe has consistently followed an open collaboration approach, inviting partners from academia, industry, and the open-source community to contribute. Each year, as the new chapter of open source unfolds, the report provides insights into the past year’s trends, offering a comprehensive panorama of China’s open-source ecosystem.
As China's only open source annual report initiated by a completely neutral nonprofit organization, its significance goes far beyond simple data analysis or trend forecasting. The report documents the growth and flourishing of open source technologies, culture, and communities in China, highlighting the vital role open source plays in driving technological innovation, industrial upgrades, and social collaboration. Additionally, with the release of English and Japanese versions supported by the community, it provides the global open source community with a window to engage with and understand open source in China, building a bridge between China and the global community.
Turning back to the 2024 China Open Source Annual Report, open source AI remains a key highlight. Since ChatGPT’s groundbreaking debut at the end of 2022, 2023 became a pivotal year for the development of artificial intelligence. By 2024, the explosive growth of open source AI has completely reshaped industry norms—shifting from technological monopolies to collective creation, from lab innovations to real-world applications. A paradigm shift in AI, driven by open source, is now fully underway. As a result, the 2024 China Open Source Annual Report has decided to dedicate a standalone section, "Open Source AI," to present this topic to readers in a more comprehensive way.
At the same time, the explosive growth of open source artificial intelligence is reflected across multiple chapters in this report, such as: