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Company Snapshot
Z.ai is a AI infra company, based in Beijing, China, founded 2019 by Tang Jie, Li Juanzi. Total funding $340M (As of Oct 20, 2023).
Recent changes
- Jul 2, 2026Jul 2, 2026Z.ai Launches ZCode, a Free IDE for GLM-5.2, to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and Copilot Pulse story
- Jul 2, 2026Jul 2, 2026Chinese Lab Z.ai Launches ZCode to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and GitHub Copilot Pulse story
- Oct 20, 2023Oct 20, 2023First reported total funding: $340M TechCrunch
Investors
Latest Pulse
- Aug 19, 2026GLM-5.3 Hits the API at $1.40/$4.40 Per Million TokensZ.ai priced its new GLM-5.3 model identically to GLM-5.2 at $1.40 per million input tokens and $4.40 per million output tokens, undercutting Grok, Kimi, Claude Opus and GPT on a simple blended-cost comparison.→
- Aug 16, 2026Z.ai's GLM-5.3 Takes Aim at Claude and GPT in CodingChinese AI lab Z.ai is upgrading its flagship GLM-5.3 model with sharper coding capabilities, the latest sign that Chinese labs are closing the gap with Anthropic and OpenAI on developer-focused benchmarks.→
- Aug 14, 2026China's Z.ai Holds Back Its Best Model Over Hacking RiskZ.ai built GLM-5.3 into the strongest open coding and vulnerability-hunting model it has released, then delayed publishing its weights because its own cyber capability tests came back higher than the company expected.→
- Jul 23, 2026China's AI Labs Race Toward A Wave Of IPOsMoonshot, DeepSeek, MiniMax and Z.ai are all pursuing or completing public listings within months of each other, a compressed wave of Chinese AI IPOs that resets how investors value the entire sector.→
- Jul 2, 2026Z.ai Launches ZCode, a Free IDE for GLM-5.2, to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and CopilotZ.ai, the Beijing lab formerly known as Zhipu AI, officially launched ZCode on July 2 — a free, agent-first development environment purpose-built for its GLM-5.2 model, with subscription plans starting at $16.20/month, up to 82% cheaper than Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.8 API pricing. The launch lands three weeks after a US export-control order briefly suspended foreign access to Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, an episode Z.ai's timing has directly capitalized on, with GLM-5.2 running entirely on Huawei silicon and ranking second globally on the Code Arena leaderboard behind only Claude Fable 5.→
- Jul 2, 2026Chinese Lab Z.ai Launches ZCode to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and GitHub CopilotZ.ai launched ZCode on July 2, an agentic development environment built around its GLM Coding Plan and long-horizon task execution — the user describes an outcome, the agent plans the work, edits files, runs checks and iterates until the goal is met. It enters a coding-agent market where, per VentureBeat, virtually every developer shipping software in 2026 is already using Claude Code, GitHub Copilot or Cursor, positioning ZCode as a lower-cost, desktop-native challenger.→
Coverage Timeline
newest first- Aug 19, 2026AIGLM-5.3 Hits the API at $1.40/$4.40 Per Million Tokens→
- Aug 16, 2026AIZ.ai's GLM-5.3 Takes Aim at Claude and GPT in Coding→
- Aug 14, 2026AIChina's Z.ai Holds Back Its Best Model Over Hacking Risk→
- Jul 23, 2026IPOChina's AI Labs Race Toward A Wave Of IPOs→
- Jul 2, 2026AIZ.ai Launches ZCode, a Free IDE for GLM-5.2, to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and CopilotUp to 82% cheaper than Opus 4.8→
- Jul 2, 2026AIChinese Lab Z.ai Launches ZCode to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and GitHub CopilotNew product launch→
All Coverage
AI
GLM-5.3 Hits the API at $1.40/$4.40 Per Million Tokens
Z.ai priced its new GLM-5.3 model identically to GLM-5.2 at $1.40 per million input tokens and $4.40 per million output tokens, undercutting Grok, Kimi, Claude Opus and GPT on a simple blended-cost comparison.
DEEP DIVE
AI
Z.ai's GLM-5.3 Takes Aim at Claude and GPT in Coding
AI
Z.ai's GLM-5.3 Takes Aim at Claude and GPT in Coding
Chinese AI lab Z.ai is upgrading its flagship GLM-5.3 model with sharper coding capabilities, the latest sign that Chinese labs are closing the gap with Anthropic and OpenAI on developer-focused benchmarks.
DEEP DIVE
AI
China's Z.ai Holds Back Its Best Model Over Hacking Risk
AI
China's Z.ai Holds Back Its Best Model Over Hacking Risk
Z.ai built GLM-5.3 into the strongest open coding and vulnerability-hunting model it has released, then delayed publishing its weights because its own cyber capability tests came back higher than the company expected.
DEEP DIVE
IPO
China's AI Labs Race Toward A Wave Of IPOs
IPO
China's AI Labs Race Toward A Wave Of IPOs
Moonshot, DeepSeek, MiniMax and Z.ai are all pursuing or completing public listings within months of each other, a compressed wave of Chinese AI IPOs that resets how investors value the entire sector.
AI
Z.ai Launches ZCode, a Free IDE for GLM-5.2, to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and Copilot
AIUp to 82% cheaper than Opus 4.8
Z.ai Launches ZCode, a Free IDE for GLM-5.2, to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and Copilot
Z.ai, the Beijing lab formerly known as Zhipu AI, officially launched ZCode on July 2 — a free, agent-first development environment purpose-built for its GLM-5.2 model, with subscription plans starting at $16.20/month, up to 82% cheaper than Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.8 API pricing. The launch lands three weeks after a US export-control order briefly suspended foreign access to Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, an episode Z.ai's timing has directly capitalized on, with GLM-5.2 running entirely on Huawei silicon and ranking second globally on the Code Arena leaderboard behind only Claude Fable 5.
AI
Chinese Lab Z.ai Launches ZCode to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and GitHub Copilot
AINew product launch
Chinese Lab Z.ai Launches ZCode to Challenge Cursor, Claude Code and GitHub Copilot
Z.ai launched ZCode on July 2, an agentic development environment built around its GLM Coding Plan and long-horizon task execution — the user describes an outcome, the agent plans the work, edits files, runs checks and iterates until the goal is met. It enters a coding-agent market where, per VentureBeat, virtually every developer shipping software in 2026 is already using Claude Code, GitHub Copilot or Cursor, positioning ZCode as a lower-cost, desktop-native challenger.
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- TechCrunchmajor outlet1 fact
Figures are labelled Reported (a source states it), Estimated, Derived (computed from other facts) or Rumored (in talks / unconfirmed). Rumors never replace a confirmed figure. Each figure keeps its own as-of date; history is preserved rather than overwritten.