# Z.ai hires Chinese security researcher Chen, known as Guhe, to boost AI cybersecurity

Digest AI · Business & Funding · published 2026-10-22T01:41:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/z-ai-hires-chinese-security-researcher-chen-known-as-guhe-to-boost-ai

## Summary

Z.ai announced that Chen, a Chinese security expert known online as Guhe, has joined its Beijing team to strengthen the company’s cybersecurity work.  The move was shared on social media last week, with Chen saying he is “thrilled and grateful” to help build a safer cyberspace using frontier AI.  Z.ai said Chen and his team recently uncovered 23 security vulnerabilities in Microsoft software using its GLM artificial‑intelligence models, a finding Microsoft publicly acknowledged.

Chen previously worked at Trend Micro, served as CTO of Cyber Kunlun, and earned multiple top spots in Microsoft’s Most Valuable Security Researchers ranking between 2019 and 2024.  A 2024 ETH Zurich study described him as one of China’s prominent “superstar hackers,” and he has won two Pwnie Awards.  Z.ai, founded in 2019 by researchers linked to Tsinghua University, introduced its GLM‑5.3 model in August, which it claims markedly improves vulnerability discovery.  Anthropic’s assessment later confirmed the model’s advanced capabilities.  The company went public earlier this year, reaching a market valuation of about US$32 billion in October after raising $5 billion through share and convertible‑bond sales in September.

## Key points

- Chen and his team identified 23 Microsoft software vulnerabilities using Z.ai’s GLM models, Microsoft confirmed the findings.
- Z.ai’s GLM‑5.3 model, released August, is said to markedly improve vulnerability discovery over its predecessor.
- Z.ai’s market valuation reached about US$32 billion in October after a $5 billion share and convertible bond sale in September.

## Why it matters

Bringing a top Chinese security researcher to a leading AI startup signals a push to embed advanced AI into cybersecurity, potentially raising the arms race between AI‑driven defense and attacks.

## Sources

1. [Chinese 'superstar hacker' who 5 times named Microsoft's top security researcher joins AI giant Z.ai](https://e.vnexpress.net/news/tech/personalities/chinese-superstar-hacker-who-5-times-named-microsoft-s-top-security-researcher-joins-ai-giant-z-ai-5135193.html) (e.vnexpress.net, 2026-10-22)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Z.ai hires Chinese security researcher Chen, known as Guhe, to boost AI cybersecurity", 22 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/z-ai-hires-chinese-security-researcher-chen-known-as-guhe-to-boost-ai

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