Zhang Yiming Tops China Rich List with $100B

Zhang Yiming reclaimed the top spot on China's richest list with $100 billion, a 43% jump fueled almost entirely by AI. ByteDance's AI assistant Doubao is now China's most-used, and its AI push raised Zhang's fortune to a record high. Hurun's list, released Tuesday, shows 1,529 people with over 5 billion yuan, up 6.6% from last year. It also lists 1,176 U.S. dollar-based billionaires, 155 more than the previous year and 176 ahead of the U.S. The twist: 160 richest-about one in ten-earn from AI. Consumer goods and real estate have shrunk, leaving no mainland property developer in the top 100. Zhang's rival Zhong Shanshan fell to second with $61 billion, down 23%, while Robin Zeng of CATL sits third. Lei Jun's Xiaomi fortune halved to $25.1 billion, underscoring a two-speed economy.