Kling AI: How China's Precision Strategy Is Reshaping Global Video Generation
Inside Kuaishou's strategy that upended the global AI video hierarchy
While OpenAI's Sora remains in limited testing, China has achieved a breakthrough in global video generation technology. In March 2025, prestigious AI evaluation institute Artificial Analysis released rankings showing Kuaishou's "Kling 1.6pro" achieved a perfect 1000-point score, surpassing international competitors like Google Veo 2, Runway, and Pika . This achievement represents the success of Chinese AI companies' unique development approach.
Kling AI has taken a fundamentally different product strategy compared to Western counterparts. While OpenAI chose to keep Sora in closed testing for nearly 10 months pursuing perfection before limited release, Kuaishou opted for a "rapid iteration, improve through usage" pragmatic approach. IEEE Spectrum's evaluation suggests this difference reflects the "Western pursuit of idealized perfection versus Eastern emphasis on practical value" in product philosophy.
Market performance validates this strategy: since launching in June 2024, Kling has generated over 100 million RMB (approximately $14 million) in revenue, attracted more than 6 million global users, and produced over 65 million videos and 175 million images. International media like Tom's Guide has noted: "China's video generation AI completed the leap from catching up to leading in just 9 months, demonstrating astonishing execution efficiency."
We'll explore how Kling AI has rapidly emerged as a global leader in AI video generation through:
Technical Foundations - How Kling's specialized approach differs from Western general AI models
Market Strategy - The multi-tiered commercialization approach enabling global penetration
Capital Efficiency - Achieving more with fewer resources than Western counterparts
Technical Advantages - The three core differentiators recognized in international benchmarks
Industry Impact - How Kling is transforming creative workflows globally
Lessons for Western Companies - Key insights from Kling's success model
Future Outlook - What's next in the evolving global AI competition landscape
Technical Foundations: Specialization Over General AI
Unlike OpenAI, Anthropic, and other Western companies pursuing general artificial intelligence, Kuaishou has chosen to focus specifically on video generation. VentureBeat analysis suggests: "This focused strategy allows Chinese companies to surpass Western tech giants with greater resources and talent in specific domains using limited resources."
One of Kling's technical foundations is the open-source, high-quality dataset Koala-36M. The international AI research community highly values this dataset, with MIT Technology Review describing it as "the LAION-5B of video generation." What distinguishes Koala-36M from other datasets is its emphasis on quality over quantity – with average text descriptions exceeding 200 words, providing valuable resources to the open-source community.
For core technology, Kling employs a 3D spatiotemporal joint attention mechanism that has gained recognition in international technical evaluations. Testing by AI research platform WritingMate shows Kling outperforms Sora and Runway in simulating complex physical scenarios like liquid flow and character movement. International AI expert Ross Symons noted: "Kling's performance in character motion and physical simulation is impressive, inseparable from China's long-accumulated technical experience in animation and visual effects."
To improve video generation controllability, the Kling team has openly shared multiple innovative research projects including 3DTrajMaster, with related papers accepted at CVPR 2025 gaining widespread attention. This open sharing approach has also earned recognition from the international academic community.
Market Penetration: Multi-Level Commercialization Strategy
Kling AI's commercialization strategy reveals a markedly different approach from Western products, implementing a "free entry + multi-tier payment" gradient penetration model.
In the consumer market, Kling provides daily free credits through an "Inspiration Value" system (approximately enough for 6 standard videos), effectively lowering user trial barriers. Paid memberships come in three tiers, priced at 66, 266, and 666 RMB monthly (approximately $9, $38, and $95). By comparison, OpenAI's Sora is only available to Plus members ($20/month) and Pro members ($200/month), with watermark-free functionality restricted to Pro tier. This "affordable pricing + multiple options" strategy has allowed Kling to rapidly accumulate users globally.
International AI product evaluation platform Segmind analysis shows: "Kling's cost to generate a 5-second video is approximately $0.1, just one-fifth of Runway ($0.5/second) and Google Veo 2 ($0.5/second)." This significant price advantage particularly attracts creators in emerging markets.
For enterprise services, Kling has established a global API ecosystem, with API service provider PiAPI reporting: "Kling API demand is surging among European and American enterprise clients, especially in e-commerce video production and social media marketing." Beyond standard APIs, Kling also provides customized solutions for international businesses including Xiaomi.
For globalization strategy, Kling employs a "dual-track parallel" model, simultaneously operating Chinese and international English versions, with the English version covering users in over 100 countries and regions. International registration requires only an email address, significantly lowering global user barriers. Similarweb data shows the English website now exceeds 13.4 million monthly visits.
Capital Efficiency in AI: Doing More With Less
Kling's success exemplifies Chinese enterprises' efficient development path in AI. Unlike Western counterparts' massive investments, Kuaishou emphasizes balanced input-output ratios.
TechCrunch analysis points out: "Compared to OpenAI's estimated $4 billion investment in training Sora, Kuaishou's investment in Kling is estimated at less than $1 billion, yet achieves comparable results. This efficiency difference reflects different technological approach choices."
From an infrastructure perspective, Kuaishou CEO Cheng Yixiao told Bloomberg: "We don't pursue computing power accumulation but rather improve efficiency through algorithmic innovation. Kling achieved technological breakthroughs while ensuring controllable inference costs, making commercialization possible." This philosophy allows Kling to compete with industry giants using relatively limited resources.
In terms of research organization, McKinsey's case study found that Kling's team employs a "small but elite" model, with a core R&D team of fewer than 100 people achieving version iterations approximately every two weeks. This efficient organizational structure contrasts sharply with the hundreds-strong R&D teams at companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Kling's iteration speed is particularly noteworthy: after launching version 1.0 in June 2024, they released versions 1.5 and 1.6 in September and December respectively, followed by 1.6pro in early 2025, with each update targeting key pain points based on user feedback. Harvard Business Review cited this iteration model as a typical case of "Chinese-style agile development."
Technical Advantages: Internationally Recognized Differentiation
Kling 1.6pro has demonstrated three core technical advantages in international professional evaluations, creating clear differentiation.
First is physical realism. International video production expert Dustin Hollywood's comparative testing noted: "Kling performs excellently in simulating physical interaction scenarios such as liquid flow and food slicing, even surpassing Sora." TechCrunch testing also found Kling outperforms most other models in physical interaction consistency.
Second is character performance and motion expression. Animation World Network tested multiple models' dance performance capabilities, concluding: "Kling excels in expressing complex bodily movements such as Chinese classical dance, and is currently the only AI model capable of accurately capturing dance rhythm." European professional media Digital Production suggests this advantage may stem from China's rich dance video training data.
Third is innovative multi-image reference functionality, addressing the key issue of character consistency in AI videos. International AI researcher collective testing platform BenchML's comparison shows: "Kling's multi-image reference technology is the most advanced among all video generation models, thoroughly solving the character appearance deformation problem." This technology was named one of MIT Technology Review's "Ten Breakthrough Technologies of 2025."
In overall performance evaluation, RecodeChina AI's comparative testing found: "In blind testing of video quality, motion naturalness, and prompt adherence, Kling 1.6pro received the highest scores, surpassing Sora, Runway, and Veo 2."
Industry Integration: From Tool to Global Creative Infrastructure
As an AI creation tool, Kling is reshaping workflows and business models across multiple industries globally.
In content creation, American social media agency SocialInsider reports: "40% of American TikTok and Instagram creators are using AI tools to assist creation, with Kling gaining popularity due to price advantages and ease of use." European video marketing platform Wyzowl's survey shows creators using AI video tools experienced an average 63% efficiency improvement.
E-commerce is another international application hotspot for Kling. Data released by the Amazon Seller Alliance shows: "Sellers using AI video tools see an average 42% increase in product click-through rates, with Kling favored by cross-border e-commerce sellers for its multi-language and multi-region adaptation support." In Latin American markets, Kling provides low-cost video marketing solutions for local e-commerce sellers through integration with Kwai (Kuaishou's international version).
In professional film and television, beyond collaborations with Chinese directors, Kling has begun working with international film organizations. Film Independent has documented multiple independent film cases using Kling for production assistance. The European Film Academy has also listed "AI-assisted film and television creation" as a key research direction for 2025, specifically mentioning the application potential of tools like Kling.
This cross-industry, global application expansion indicates Kling is transitioning from a single tool to creative industry infrastructure, with influence extending beyond the technology itself to transform global creative industry production methods.
Lessons for Western Companies: Eastern Commercialization Experience
Kling's global success offers several valuable lessons for Western enterprises, which international business media have analyzed in depth.
First is the "speed-first" product development concept. The Economist analysis points out: "Compared to OpenAI's long-term polishing of Sora, Kuaishou is more willing to subject imperfect products to market testing. This 'rapid iteration' philosophy involves users in product evolution, forming positive feedback." Gartner's report also suggests: "Western enterprises' excessive pursuit of perfection may lead to lost market opportunities, especially in the rapidly changing AI field."
Second is the "user-centered" rather than "technology-centered" product philosophy. International user experience research institute Nielsen Norman Group's case analysis found: "Kling product iterations clearly revolve around user pain points, such as assistance systems for complex prompts, contrasting with the common 'technology showcasing' orientation of Western products." This user-oriented design approach makes products more aligned with market needs.
Third is the "high cost-performance ratio" business strategy. Global creative tool evaluation platform CreativePro notes: "Kuaishou achieved equal or better results at prices far below Western competitors. This pricing strategy not only expanded the user base but also accelerated product feedback and improvement." American business case study platform Heartbeat.Insights describes Kling's pricing strategy as "typical characteristics of disruptive innovation."
Finally, there's the strategic balance of "commercialization and technological breakthrough in parallel." Financial Times analysis suggests: "Chinese AI enterprises pay more attention to the synergy between business models and technological development, avoiding the 'R&D and business disconnect' problem common in Western companies." This balance allows Kling to maintain technological innovation while ensuring business sustainability.
Future Outlook: The New Normal in Global AI Competition
As Kling continues to succeed, the global video generation AI competitive landscape is being reshaped.
On the technical front, Kuaishou Research Institute Director Wu Xinhong revealed at an international AI conference that Kling 2.0 will focus more on building a "universal world model." International AI research institution Artificial Intelligence Insight predicts: "2025-2026 will be the second revolution in AI video generation, with focus shifting from generation quality to interactivity and editability, and Chinese enterprises may continue to lead in this transformation."
On the business front, Kuaishou CEO Cheng Yixiao told The Wall Street Journal that Kling plans to launch a more comprehensive international business model in the second half of 2025, aiming to "become the video generation AI application with the largest global revenue scale." Morgan Stanley's report predicts: "By 2026, the video generation AI market size will reach $12 billion, with Chinese enterprises likely to account for over 30% of market share."
However, international competition is intensifying. Google has integrated Veo 2 into its creative tool ecosystem, Adobe is accelerating development of its Firefly video model, and OpenAI is integrating Sora with ChatGPT to form a more powerful product matrix. Additionally, international regulatory and ethical issues will impact market development, especially under the EU AI Act framework.
Cross-national collaboration is also showing new trends. Kuaishou has established strategic cooperation with Amazon Web Services to extend Kling API services to global markets. International technology research company IDC expects: "Technical exchanges and business cooperation between Chinese and Western AI enterprises will increase, forming complementary ecosystems."
Overall, Kling's rise not only represents Chinese enterprise success but also signals profound changes in the global AI industry landscape. Diversified technical routes, business models, and market strategies will jointly drive the development of AI video generation technology, bringing more possibilities to the creative industry.
This newsletter analyzes Chinese technology trends for global technology professionals, investors, and researchers. If you found this analysis valuable, please share it with colleagues interested in understanding China's tech innovation landscape.
Want more insights like this? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay informed about China's tech ecosystem and its global impact.