“How Savvy Companies Are Using Chinese AI,” co-authored by Professor of AI, Analytics, and Marketing Amit Joshi, Professor of Innovation and Strategy Mark Greeven, and researchers Sophie Liu and Kunjian Li, has been named as a finalist for the 2025 HBR Prize.
The article explores how organizations are harnessing generative AI in an environment constrained by technology access, regulation, and cost. Drawing on research and case studies, the authors show how this has led to a different model of AI development focused on customization, cost efficiency, and real-world application, rather than frontier scale alone.
Adapting to a dual AI ecosystem
The research outlines how global companies must adapt to a dual AI ecosystem where Chinese and Western technologies evolve in parallel: leaders must rethink how they deploy, integrate, and govern AI across markets.
“Western AI is largely defined by research strength and scale, while in China the emphasis is on customization, cost efficiency, and real-world application. As we looked across companies and use cases, what became clear is that the most interesting innovation isn’t always at the frontier. It’s in how AI is applied in real business contexts,” said Greeven.
“That’s where much of the momentum we’re seeing in China is coming from, and what leaders need to pay closer attention to.”
The HBR Prize
The HBR Prize was established in 1959 to spotlight groundbreaking contributions to management thinking that combine rigorous research with practical relevance. Finalists are selected by an independent panel of business and academic leaders.
As AI evolves across different markets, the research highlights how important it is for leaders to move beyond a single view of technological progress and develop strategies that deliver impact in multiple ecosystems.
Explore more research and insights from the IMD Center for Digital and AI Transformation.
