Zhipu AI, which rebranded internationally as Z.ai, continues to expand its GLM AI models portfolio as competition in China’s generative AI market accelerates. The company released GLM-4.5 on July 28, 2025, positioning it as an open-source model built for intelligent agent applications.
GLM-4.5 includes a lighter variant called GLM-4.5-Air and operates under a unified architecture designed for reasoning, coding, and agentic tasks. Z.ai stated that the model supports autonomous multi-step workflows and complex reasoning while requiring relatively modest compute resources compared with some competitors.
GLM AI Models and The Upcoming GLM-5By early 2026,
Zhipu AI expected to launch GLM-5, the fifth iteration in its flagship series. The company aimed to improve creative writing, coding, reasoning, and agentic capabilities ahead of the Lunar New Year in mid-February 2026. Zhipu AI did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the planned release.
Industry sources also indicated that ByteDance and Alibaba were preparing new AI systems around the same period, including updates to language, image, and video models. Reports highlighted that major developers such as Alibaba and Moonshot AI have accelerated flagship releases, intensifying competition.
The clustering of launches around the Lunar New Year suggests a coordinated effort within China’s AI sector to highlight technological progress and strengthen both domestic and international positioning. As these GLM AI models evolve, the competitive landscape continues to shift rapidly.
