Since DeepSeek shocked markets early last year with its cheap but powerful AI model, a model called GLM-5.2, launched last month by Beijing-based startup Z.ai, may be closing the gap in Western interest. GLM-5.2 has Silicon Valley buzzing with its coding and agent capabilities that almost rival leading US offerings at a fraction of the cost, in what some experts are calling a “mini DeepSeek moment.” It has quickly climbed the usage charts on third-party AI developer platforms like OpenRouter, where it now ranks above Anthropic’s models.