Leyard Optoelectronic has made an announcement stating that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Leyard Optoelectronic International, intends to step in as a cornerstone investor. The subsidiary plans to leverage its own funds, with an amount not surpassing US$5 million, to take part in the subscription for shares during Zhipu's initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Although this deal qualifies as a related-party transaction, it falls short of meeting the benchmarks for a significant asset restructuring.

Zhipu, a frontrunner in China's general-purpose AI large model industry, has been on the receiving end of investments from Leyard Optoelectronic since 2021. The two entities have forged a long-standing partnership, collaborating in areas like industrial big data and AI digital humans. This investment move is in line with Leyard Optoelectronic's overarching long-term strategic blueprint. It is poised to strengthen the collaborative ties between the two firms, unlock synergistic potentials, and collectively propel the research, development, and enhancement of AI-driven innovative solutions.