MiniMax co-founder Yeyi Yun sets milestone for AI at 1% of global economy

Most definitions of artificial general intelligence involve philosophy, neuroscience, or some combination of both. Yeyi Yun, co-founder and president of Chinese AI startup MiniMax, prefers economics. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Asia Leadership Conference in Hong Kong on September 1, Yun said the real milestone for AGI will arrive when AI can autonomously generate 1% of global GDP. That’s a concrete, measurable target in a field that loves to argue about abstractions. A dollar-denominated definition of AGI Global GDP currently hovers around $110 trillion, depending on who’s counting. One percent of that is roughly $1.1 trillion, or about the entire annual output of Mexico. Yun pointed to autonomous capabilities, specifically planning, execution, and self-assessment, as early indicators that the industry is heading in that direction. MiniMax’s numbers tell their own story The company reported first-half 2026 revenues of approximately $117 million, a 283% year-over-year increase. Open platform services alone contributed $74 million of that total, up a staggering 703% from the prior year period. MiniMax listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in January 2026 under ticker 0100, raising...