Tesla Registers AI Voice Assistant in China, Uses Local Models from DeepSeek and Doubao

Gate News message, April 22 — Tesla has filed its generative AI voice assistant with China’s cyberspace regulator on April 21, according to Shanghai authorities. The filing is required for AI services operating in China and represents one of 158 AI products and functions that have completed registration in Shanghai as the country tightens oversight of AI tools.

Tesla is using AI models from local providers rather than its U.S. counterpart xAI’s Grok. The company uses DeepSeek for AI voice chat and ByteDance’s Doubao for voice commands such as navigation and climate control. This shift reflects pressure in China’s auto market, where Tesla’s in-cabin software has trailed competitors like BYD and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, which already leverage AI for smoother in-car interaction.

The registration also supports Tesla’s longer-term strategy in Shanghai, where its factory serves as the hub for its Optimus humanoid robot program. A Tesla executive previously called the Shanghai operation a “golden key” for large-scale robot production, with the company targeting 1 million units annually from the site. Shanghai’s factory delivered 851,000 vehicles in 2025, underscoring the region’s critical importance to Tesla’s expansion beyond automobiles.