China saw the highest number of new billionaires, although AI has been sluggish as a source of wealth creation in China, says Rupert Hoogewerf, chief researcher of the 2026 Global Rich List, according to Storyboard18. China remained the country with the highest number of billionaires, with 1,110 individuals on the list and 318 new entrants added during the year. However, the report stated that only two of the new Chinese billionaires were linked directly to AI.
Storyboard18:
Artificial intelligence is rapidly creating new billionaires across the world, but the surge in wealth is also coinciding with significant disruption to traditional technology businesses, according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2026.
The report stated that 114 of the world’s 4,020 billionaires are now linked to artificial intelligence companies. Nearly half of them — 46 individuals — are new entrants to the list, highlighting the rapid pace at which wealth is being generated through AI-driven businesses.
Rupert Hoogewerf, chief researcher of the report, stated, … that wealth was created faster last year than at any point in the history of the Hurun Global Rich List. He informed that more than 700 new billionaires were added during the year, averaging roughly two new names every day. Hoogewerf also stated that China emerged as the biggest contributor, accounting for roughly half of the new entrants…
China remained the country with the highest number of billionaires, with 1,110 individuals on the list and 318 new entrants added during the year. However, the report stated that only two of the new Chinese billionaires were linked directly to AI.
Despite that, several Chinese technology leaders associated with artificial intelligence saw their wealth grow significantly. Zhang Yiming, founder of ByteDance, added $19 billion to his wealth, taking his fortune to $79 billion. Ma Huateng, chief executive of Tencent, saw his net worth rise to $66 billion.
Other notable gains included Chen Tianshi, chief executive of Cambricon Technologies, whose wealth doubled to $25 billion, and Wang Weixiu of data centre provider Zhongji Innolight, whose wealth rose sixfold to $15 billion.
The report also noted wealth increases for Robin Li Yanhong, chief executive of Baidu, whose net worth reached $12 billion, and Cai Huabo, chief executive of storage solutions provider Longsys, whose fortune climbed to $7.2 billion.
However, the report warned that the rapid wealth creation driven by artificial intelligence is accompanied by significant disruption in legacy technology sectors. Hoogewerf stated that the AI revolution has a direct shadow side, describing it as a historic destruction of wealth among traditional software and data companies being disrupted by new technologies.
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