China’s AI Boom Powered by a ‘Village’ of Coders at Its Core

In Liangzhu, a suburb of Hangzhou, China’s booming AI scene thrives among young coders and entrepreneurs. Drawn by low rents and proximity to tech giants like Alibaba and DeepSeek, these “villagers” collaborate in coffee shops and backyards, building AI startups. Felix Tao, a former Facebook and Alibaba employee, hosts AI events at his home, now a hub for innovators. Despite government support, some startups struggle to attract foreign investment due to geopolitical concerns. Still, Hangzhou’s AI ecosystem, supported by local universities and incubators, fuels a vibrant, risk-taking community seeking to create the next global tech breakthrough.