Chinese AI Labs Release Open-Weight Models: DeepSeek vs Kimi vs GLM in 2026
Meta Description: Four major Chinese AI labs dropped open-weight models within a 12-day window in April–May 2026. This guide breaks down DeepSeek V4, Kimi K2.6, GLM-5.1, and MiniMax M2.7 — specs, benchmarks, agentic capabilities, and inference costs compared. — Table of Contents 1. [Why April 2026 Marked a Turning Point](#1-why-april-2026-marked-a-turning-point) 2. [The 12-Day Release Window](#2-the-12-day-release-window) 3. [DeepSeek V4: The Efficiency Revolution](#3-deepseek-v4-the-efficiency-revolution) 4. [Kimi K2.6: The Coding & Agent Swarm Champion](#4-kimi-k26-the-coding–agent-swarm-champion) 5. [GLM-5.1: Agentic Engineering Powerhouse](#5-glm-51-agentic-engineering-powerhouse) 6. [MiniMax M2.7: Self-Evolving Open Model](#6-minimax-m27-self-evolving-open-model) 7. [Head-to-Head Benchmark Comparison](#7-head-to-head-benchmark-comparison) 8. [Inference Cost: Why Western Models Can’t Compete](#8-inference-cost-why-western-models-cant-compete) 9. [Who Should Use Which Model?](#9-who-should-use-which-model) 10.