China’s surveillance and propaganda industries are often depicted as a seamless extension of state power, directed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from the top down. Together these leaks have provided an unprecedented window into the mechanics of China’s censorship and propaganda apparatus. This has broad implications for understanding China’s AI ecosystem. Finally, it is entrepreneurial: both firms demonstrate the ability to productize surveillance and propaganda, turning repressive capacity into revenue streams. They must demonstrate that openness and innovation, not surveillance and propaganda, offer the more sustainable path for societies.