Zhipu

Zhipu is a leading Chinese AI assistant platform developed by Zhipu AI, a company founded by researchers from the Knowledge engineering Group (KEG) Lab at Tsinghua university. Launched in August 2023, it has rAPIdly grown into one of China’s most wIDEly used AI tools—reaching 7.02 million monthly ACTive users by January 2025 and rAnking seventh among domestic AI applications. Built on the proprietary GLM (General language model) series, Zhipu emphASIzes Deep Reasoning, factual accuracy, and domAIn-specific utility, especially in scholarly and technical contexts.

What it does

Zhipu functions as a versatile, multimodal AI assistant that handles text-based interaction as its core modality. It interprets natural language queries, maintains context across extended conversations, and delivers precise, citation-aware responses—particularly valuable for students, researchers, and developers. Its architecture supports both real-time inference and structured task execution, including file-based analysis and code interpretation.

Key capabilities

• Academic & Research Assistance: Helps summarize papers, generate Literature Reviews, explain complex concepts, and draft citations in multiple fORMats.
• code generation & debugging: Writes, explains, and debugs code across languages; its built-in code interpreter accepts CSV, Excel, and other data files to auto-generate scripts and visualizations.
• Creative & professional writing: Supports drafting emails, reports, proposals, poetry, and marketing copy with adjustable tone and length.
• Virtual Role simulation: Enables users to interact with customizable AI personas—for teaching, negotiation practice, or language learning.
• Multimodal Expansion: While primarily text-first, newer veRSIons like GLM-4-Plus add video call integration, and CogView4 introduces open-weight Chinese-character-aware Image Generation.

Who it is for

Zhipu serves knowledge workers, university students, STEM Professionals, and bilingual (Chinese-English) users who need reliable, technically grounded AI support. Its strength lies not in entertainment or broad consumer use, but in augmenting high-Cognition Workflows—especially where domain depth, logical rigor, and source fidelity matter more than stylistic flair.

How to get started

Access is available via web browser at zhipuai.cn or through official mobile apps. New users can begin immediately with a free account. Advanced features—including higher message liMITs, priority Inference, and API access—require subscription tiers or credit-based usage. The platform offers documentation, SDKs, and developer portals for integrating GLM models into custom APPlications.

Pricing and access caveat

Zhipu operates a freemium model: basic chat and limited file uploads are Free, while sustained usage, larger context Windows, and commercial API calls require credits or paid plans. Pricing details may vary by region and over time; international users should verify local availability and language support, as English interface functionality may be less comprehensive than the Chinese version. No VPN is required for global access, though performance and feature parity may differ outside mainland China.