# OpenRouter

China’s AI Models Overtake US Usage — Rewriting the Hardware Playbook and Roiling Markets

OpenRouter data shows Chinese AI models surpassed US counterparts in weekly token usage in February 2026, driven by multiple efficient architectures and low costs. Markets split: Chinese cloud, data‑centre and power stocks surged while Nvidia’s valuation plunged, signalling a potential reallocation of AI value away from high‑end GPUs toward models and low‑cost infrastructure.