https://www.scmp.com/rss/324341/feed Articles about early-stage companies; pre-IPO, including those still being funded by angel investors, private equity or venture capitalists. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Coco Feng Coco Feng China’s robotics pioneers are rapidly expanding beyond the usual factory surroundings and into more challenging terrains: the unstructured, dynamic and complex world of domestic household chores. GigaAI unveiled the country’s first general-purpose household humanoid robot model on Wednesday, the SeeLight S1, in collaboration with Hubei Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre and Hubei Humanoid Robotics Industry Alliance. The robot will be given to families to test free of charge in Wuhan, the capital... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3354371/commercial-humanoid-robots-china-may-soon-do-laundry-make-beds-care-elders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3354371/commercial-humanoid-robots-china-may-soon-do-laundry-make-beds-care-elders?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 09:22:27 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Chinese artificial intelligence heavyweight DeepSeek has recruited a former Jane Street star engineer to its new AI “harness” team, as it looks to ensure it does not fall behind in the agentic AI era. Cui Tianyi joined the Hangzhou start-up in March, according to a post on his LinkedIn profile on Tuesday, after four years at Hong Kong-based quantitative trading firm TSY Capital, which he co-founded in 2022. The engineer previously spent nearly nine years as a software developer and researcher at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3354113/deepseek-recruits-former-jane-street-engineer-catch-ai-agents-revenue-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3354113/deepseek-recruits-former-jane-street-engineer-catch-ai-agents-revenue-race?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 10:30:28 +0000 Karen Tian Karen Tian Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday urged deeper integration between AI companies and advanced manufacturing, as China steps up efforts to develop new growth drivers amid slowing domestic demand and mounting external pressures. During a tour of both Xiaomi’s electric vehicle factory and the Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre, home to more than a dozen embodied AI start-ups, industry partners and research institutions in Beijing yesterday, Li said faster development and wider application of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354061/china-says-integration-ai-advanced-manufacturing-can-help-offset-economic-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354061/china-says-integration-ai-advanced-manufacturing-can-help-offset-economic-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Coco Feng,Ben Jiang Coco Feng,Ben Jiang Moonshot AI, the Chinese AI unicorn behind the popular Kimi chatbot, has informed shareholders that it intends to dismantle its offshore structure to pave the way for an initial public offering, likely in Hong Kong, according to people familiar with the matter. The Beijing-based start-up, with assets held by a Cayman Islands parent company, has proposed a plan to remove its variable interest entity (VIE) structure. The company sought feedback from investors this week, the two sources said,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3354078/chinas-moonshot-ai-moves-unwind-offshore-structure-ipo-pursuit-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3354078/chinas-moonshot-ai-moves-unwind-offshore-structure-ipo-pursuit-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 07:35:47 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow A star Chinese researcher laid off by Facebook owner Meta Platforms has co-founded a start-up focused on self-improving artificial intelligence systems, joining a wave of US and Chinese firms developing models capable of autonomously refining their own code and reasoning. Tian Yuandong, former research scientist director at Meta’s FAIR (Fundamental AI Research) team, launched Recursive Superintelligence alongside seven other co-founders. The company said on Wednesday it had raised more than... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3353576/ex-meta-chinese-star-researcher-joins-race-self-improving-ai-us46b-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3353576/ex-meta-chinese-star-researcher-joins-race-self-improving-ai-us46b-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 13:30:05 +0000 Minxiao Chang,Coco Feng Minxiao Chang,Coco Feng Chinese artificial intelligence start-up Moonshot AI has raised about US$2 billion in a new funding round, boosting its valuation to more than US$20 billion as it navigates Beijing’s new listing rules for companies registered overseas. The funding was led by Long-Z Investments, Meituan’s venture arm, and involved China Mobile. Over the past six months, Moonshot had raised a total of US$3.9 billion, according to a statement by the deal’s financial adviser HF Capital on Thursday. The Beijing-based... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352751/kimi-developer-moonshot-ai-valued-us20b-it-navigates-chinas-new-ipo-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352751/kimi-developer-moonshot-ai-valued-us20b-it-navigates-chinas-new-ipo-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 10:27:37 +0000 Ben Young Ben Young Over the past few years, digital art has become a more integral part of the contemporary art scene. At this year’s Art Basel Hong Kong, this evolution was exemplified by Zero 10, the fair’s new curated space for digital practices that was a huge hit in Miami. Yet non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which became synonymous with digital art during a hype-driven, celebrity-endorsed asset bubble in 2021, have seen massive drop-offs in terms of both market cap and cultural relevance. This is due to multiple... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3352492/nft-hype-dead-its-tech-remains-useful-art-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3352492/nft-hype-dead-its-tech-remains-useful-art-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen A desk with a laptop and a stack of books. A shirt waiting to be folded. A kitchen counter, a milk-tea stand and pile of building blocks – all in a single room. Robots of different shapes face their tasks with focus, controlled by a human operator. Pick up. Place. Fold. Repeat. This is not a film set, it is a data collection factory for embodied intelligence – a de facto “data foundry”. The facility, in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang hi-tech zone, is run by Agibot, a fast-rising robotics company. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351817/hype-or-real-cash-flow-chinas-robot-boom-faces-reality-check-commercialisation-lags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351817/hype-or-real-cash-flow-chinas-robot-boom-faces-reality-check-commercialisation-lags?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 03:00:06 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Hong Kong has made “significant” progress in its bid to transform itself into a technology hub, according to a Chinese venture capital investor, whose firm was recently selected by the city to invest in local start-ups under a HK$2 billion (US$250 million) government initiative. “You can see fundamental, significant changes are indeed taking place,” said Steve Sun, founding managing partner of Dalton Venture, in an interview on Thursday. “I believe that over the next decade, Hong Kong can... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3352173/hong-kong-tech-hub-progress-significant-dalton-ventures-steve-sun-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3352173/hong-kong-tech-hub-progress-significant-dalton-ventures-steve-sun-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Vincent Chow,Minxiao Chang Vincent Chow,Minxiao Chang The potential emergence of a new DeepSeek spokesman has sparked intrigue as speculation over the whereabouts of founder and CEO Liang Wenfeng continues, more than a year after his last public appearance. While the Hangzhou start-up’s latest V4 model did not make the same waves as its breakout moment a year earlier, the much-anticipated release still grabbed headlines through a collaboration with domestic tech giant Huawei Technologies and its remarkably low prices. For the traditionally... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351700/deepseek-mystery-who-speaking-start-ceo-liang-wenfeng-remains-out-sight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351700/deepseek-mystery-who-speaking-start-ceo-liang-wenfeng-remains-out-sight?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters The bitter legal fight between Elon Musk ⁠and the leadingAIe firm, OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, may come down ⁠to a few pages in one executive’s personal diary. “This is the only chance we have to get out from Elon,” wrote Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and a co-founder, in the autumn of 2017. “Is he the ‘glorious leader’ that I would pick?” Brockman’s diary entry is part of the thousands of pages of internal documents revealed in court since Musk, one of the original co-founders of OpenAI,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351600/elon-musks-trial-against-sam-altman-reveals-power-struggle-openai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351600/elon-musks-trial-against-sam-altman-reveals-power-struggle-openai?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:12:32 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma DeepSeek is touting its ultra-low charges for models unveiled last week, stoking price competition as China challenges the United States in artificial intelligence (AI). Developers are being offered 75 per cent discounts on the newly released DeepSeek V4 Pro. Fees for input cache hits across the Hangzhou-based company’s AI platforms have also been slashed to 10 per cent of the original price. That provides a cost saving for users who frequently make similar or repeat requests. The V4 Pro and the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3351567/deepseek-takes-step-away-nvidia-amid-export-curbs-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3351567/deepseek-takes-step-away-nvidia-amid-export-curbs-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:07:47 +0000 Vincent Chow,Wency Chen Vincent Chow,Wency Chen DeepSeek has finally released its much-anticipated next-generation foundational artificial intelligence model, the open-source V4, which it said was competitive with leading US closed-source models from the likes of OpenAI and Google DeepMind. The Hangzhou-based AI start-up released two versions of the model on Friday, with the V4-pro model boasting 1.6 trillion parameters, making it the company’s biggest-ever model by that metric, while the smaller V4-flash model has 284 billion parameters. A... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351239/deepseek-releases-next-gen-ai-model-world-leading-efficiency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351239/deepseek-releases-next-gen-ai-model-world-leading-efficiency?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:25:33 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China’s top market regulator will launch a six-month crackdown on the country’s internet advertising sector, targeting malpractices including the misuse of artificial intelligence, in what it described as its first campaign to clean up the broader online advertising ecosystem. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said on Thursday that the campaign comes as new risks – from AI misuse to traffic-driven marketing tactics – emerge alongside long-standing issues, even as data and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351202/beijing-moves-clean-online-ad-ecosystem-first-its-kind-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351202/beijing-moves-clean-online-ad-ecosystem-first-its-kind-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:03:24 +0000 Wency Chen,Ben Jiang Wency Chen,Ben Jiang Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek has begun raising external capital for the first time, but is keeping its initial fundraising round deliberately small to limit equity dilution while retaining key talent, according to people familiar with the matter. The Hangzhou-based company, a spin-off from hedge fund High-Flyer, is seeking to sell no more than 3 per cent of its equity, said three investors with direct knowledge of the plans, who requested anonymity as the information is... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351004/why-chinas-cash-rich-ai-firm-deepseek-still-shopping-funding-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351004/why-chinas-cash-rich-ai-firm-deepseek-still-shopping-funding-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu “State-of-the-art” (Sota) artificial intelligence models excel at solving complex Olympiad maths but still struggle with everyday enterprise tasks, according to an executive from a top AI unicorn in the US. David Meyer, senior vice-president of product at US data processing and analysis company Databricks, told the South China Morning Post in a recent interview that the very traits making models state-of-the-art could cause issues in basic office work. For instance, when tasked with identifying... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350614/state-art-models-can-struggle-basic-enterprise-tasks-ai-unicorn-executive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350614/state-art-models-can-struggle-basic-enterprise-tasks-ai-unicorn-executive?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Trump administration and Anthropic’s CEO on Friday discussed working together for the first time since a dispute earlier this year between the Pentagon and the artificial intelligence firm over how that company’s models should be used. The meeting between CEO Dario Amodei and White House staff, which took place amid growing ‌fears the AI start-up’s latest model will supercharge cyberattacks, suggests the two sides might be on a path to rebuilding trust. The Trump administration, central... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350546/white-house-and-anthropic-ceo-discuss-working-together-amid-mythos-ai-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350546/white-house-and-anthropic-ceo-discuss-working-together-amid-mythos-ai-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 23:17:51 +0000 Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Manycore Tech, a design software developer hailed as one of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons”, made its trading debut in Hong Kong on Friday, with shares rising 172 per cent at the open, as the company positions itself at the intersection of artificial intelligence and the physical world. The stock opened at HK$20.70, surging 172 per cent from its HK$7.62 offer price before ending the day at HK$18.60, up 144 per cent. The firm raised HK$1.09 billion (US$160 million) from its initial public... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350387/manycore-one-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-surges-hong-kong-ipo-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350387/manycore-one-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-surges-hong-kong-ipo-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:32:52 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow US artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic’s move to introduce real-name identity verification has triggered alarm in China, raising the prospect that access to its tools could be cut off entirely and prompting black-market vendors to scramble for workarounds. The shift highlights the strong demand for Anthropic’s Claude models in China, despite an official ban that also covers Hong Kong and Macau. The company said the restrictions were necessary for national security reasons amid... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350321/black-market-workarounds-claude-scale-anthropic-tightens-id-checks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350321/black-market-workarounds-claude-scale-anthropic-tightens-id-checks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang China’s world models are benefiting from early integration with the country’s strong industrial base, which gives the domestic ecosystem greater momentum than that of the US, according to an executive at a leading Chinese world model start-up. World models simulate 3D environments and physical dynamics, and are expected to help train the next generation of physical artificial intelligence applications, including robots and autonomous vehicles. Wang Xiaofeng, an algorithm partner at GigaAI, said... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350062/chinas-edge-over-us-ai-world-models-abundant-data-faster-deployment-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350062/chinas-edge-over-us-ai-world-models-abundant-data-faster-deployment-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Andrew Sheng Andrew Sheng Have you wondered why most small start-ups have to fight to survive, whereas the rich or those at the top tend to get richer? Capitalism is in trouble because the social divide is widening in terms of both income and wealth. Furthermore, the planet is being eaten alive by excessive consumption financed by huge amounts of debt. At the same time, aspirations such as dealing with climate change appear to be going nowhere. Who cares about net zero when you can bomb your way to more oil and gas? Why... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349484/despite-its-hype-ai-just-means-economic-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349484/despite-its-hype-ai-just-means-economic-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Unitree Robotics, one of China’s largest robot makers, will debut the R1, its cheapest humanoid model, on the international market via Alibaba Group Holding’s AliExpress marketplace next week, according to two sources familiar with the matter on Thursday. The launch would cover major overseas markets including North America, Europe, Japan and Singapore, one of the sources said. The product would later be available on other channels, the second person said. The R1, launched in mainland China last... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349489/chinas-unitree-debut-cheapest-humanoid-robot-globally-alibaba-site-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349489/chinas-unitree-debut-cheapest-humanoid-robot-globally-alibaba-site-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:30:11 +0000 Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Manycore Tech, a spatial design software developer and one of Hangzhou’s fast-rising “Six Little Dragons”, launched its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) on Thursday, aiming to raise about HK$1.02 billion (US$130 million). Manycore is issuing about 161 million shares, of which 90 per cent have been set aside for institutional investors and the rest for retail investors in Hong Kong. The shares are priced between HK$6.72 and HK$7.62 each, valuing the company at between HK$11.4 billion and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349471/hangzhou-six-little-dragons-member-manycore-seeks-us130m-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349471/hangzhou-six-little-dragons-member-manycore-seeks-us130m-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:09:20 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow DeepSeek has introduced new “instant” and “expert” modes to its chatbot, the most significant update to its user interface since the Hangzhou-based start-up gained global recognition. The changes come ahead of the much-anticipated release of DeepSeek’s next-generation flagship model V4 this month, more than a year after its R1 version made it a household name. On Tuesday, the company added the two modes to its website and mobile app, giving users the choice of settings. Instant mode was designed... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349345/chinas-deepseek-adds-instant-and-expert-chatbot-modes-ahead-much-awaited-v4-release?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349345/chinas-deepseek-adds-instant-and-expert-chatbot-modes-ahead-much-awaited-v4-release?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:00:09 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Rokid, a Hangzhou-based maker of smart glasses, is preparing to file for a Hong Kong listing as early as the end of April, according to sources familiar with the matter, as artificial intelligence-powered eyewear gains traction in the mainstream market. The planned listing comes as global and domestic technology groups including Meta Platforms and Apple, as well as China’s Alibaba Group Holding – through the brand name Quark – Baidu, Xiaomi and Huawei Technologies, all rush into the market.... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349267/chinese-ai-glasses-maker-rokid-planning-hong-kong-ipo-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349267/chinese-ai-glasses-maker-rokid-planning-hong-kong-ipo-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Perched on top of a shoe shelf at the entrance of Veriff’s headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia, is a sign of a cartoon unicorn that reads “Welcome to Unicorn Land!”, serving as a reminder of the identity verification company’s rise from a local start-up to a valuation of US$1.5 billion in seven years. Veriff, which boasts clients including PayPal, Bumble and Visa, was founded by Kaarel Kotkas in 2015. It is one of at least 10 unicorn companies – privately held start-ups valued at more than US$1... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348736/estonian-start-ups-eye-singapore-natural-gateway-build-digital-trust-asean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348736/estonian-start-ups-eye-singapore-natural-gateway-build-digital-trust-asean?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:13:35 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Chinese artificial intelligence start-ups Zhipu AI and MiniMax have shown early signs of sustainable commercialisation of their AI models, analysts said, as investors continue to pump up their Hong Kong stocks despite widening losses. That assessment comes as the companies reported their first earnings since their respective initial public offerings in early January, providing a glimpse into the business models of an industry still in its infancy globally. The South China Morning Post takes a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3348699/what-zhipu-and-minimaxs-first-post-ipo-earnings-say-about-2-chinese-ai-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3348699/what-zhipu-and-minimaxs-first-post-ipo-earnings-say-about-2-chinese-ai-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren EnerVenue – a rechargeable battery start-up co-founded by Full Vision Capital, the family office of Hong Kong tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit – has raised US$300 million in its latest round of financing and appointed a new CEO to accelerate the large-scale industrial deployment of its cutting-edge energy storage technology. The California-based company – which also counts government-backed Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) as an investor – said it would set up a regional headquarters in the city... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348514/enervenue-plugs-us300-million-scale-next-gen-batteries-it-eyes-hong-kong-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348514/enervenue-plugs-us300-million-scale-next-gen-batteries-it-eyes-hong-kong-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:39:41 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Manycore Tech, a Hangzhou-based developer of spatial design software, has passed its listing hearing in Hong Kong, moving a step closer to an initial public offering (IPO) as it pushes deeper into what it calls “spatial intelligence” – the integration of artificial intelligence with the physical world. The company is one of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” – a group of rising start-ups that includes AI developer DeepSeek, robotics firms Unitree Robotics and Deep Robotics, Black Myth creator Game... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348377/firing-manycore-first-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-near-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348377/firing-manycore-first-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-near-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek suffered a prolonged outage overnight that extended into early Monday morning, disrupting service for hundreds of millions of users, according to a company notice and user feedback. The Hangzhou-based AI lab’s namesake chatbot website and app were offline from Sunday evening, with the company continuing to investigate while issuing fixes from between 1am and 9am on Monday, according to service maintenance records the company published online. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348345/deepseek-outage-leaves-millions-cut-and-sparks-complaints-rivals-gain-ground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348345/deepseek-outage-leaves-millions-cut-and-sparks-complaints-rivals-gain-ground?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:41:43 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow A “ChatGPT moment” for China’s humanoid robots – the tipping point at which the technology becomes widely usable – remains years away as persistent challenges in adapting to new tasks and training efficiency continue to hold back the industry, leading experts said on Wednesday at the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan. Despite rapid advances in recent years, humanoid robots were still far from large-scale deployment, with both hardware and software limitations yet to be fully resolved, panellists... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:15:07 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), the government’s investment arm, has teamed up with venture capital firm Gobi Partners and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to launch a fund on Tuesday to invest in technology start-ups spun off from the university’s research breakthroughs, according to an HKIC statement. Gobi-HKU Fund I made two investments at its launch: Manifold Tech, which develops spatial intelligence for robotics, and AilsynBio, which focuses on artificial intelligence-driven drug... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347689/hkic-gobi-partners-and-hku-team-fund-backing-university-research-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347689/hkic-gobi-partners-and-hku-team-fund-backing-university-research-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:21:49 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin China’s strategy of promoting open artificial intelligence (AI) models and leveraging manufacturing dominance is “mutually reinforcing”, forming a feedback loop that could challenge US dominance in AI, according to a new report by a US congressional advisory body. “It is the intersection of these two loops – one digital, one physical – that gives China’s open strategy its compounding force and poses the most serious long-term challenge to US AI leadership,” the United States-China Economic and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3347645/us-panel-credits-chinas-ai-edge-open-source-models-manufacturing-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3347645/us-panel-credits-chinas-ai-edge-open-source-models-manufacturing-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 22:34:03 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Steven Li sells cosmetics to overseas customers from the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu. This month, amid the popularity of the OpenClaw AI agent framework, he expanded the business by “hiring” four “AI employees”. On the front lines, the AI customer service manages real-time inquiries 24/7 on WhatsApp, while a “digital sales” agent provides price quotes. Behind the scenes, a third role ensures operational transparency by providing tracking status for every order, while an “operations... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347416/openclaw-government-support-fuels-rise-one-person-companies-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347416/openclaw-government-support-fuels-rise-one-person-companies-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:00:26 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US artificial intelligence and robotics firms have urged lawmakers to take action against Chinese robot manufacturers – singling out Unitree Robotics – citing increased competition and national security risks, in a sign that humanoid robots may emerge as a new battleground in the widening US-China tech rivalry. China’s speed of advancement in humanoid robots is alarming, and the US government should formulate coordinated policies and strategies to counter Chinese firms’ dominance in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3346942/us-sounds-alarm-over-chinas-humanoid-robots-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3346942/us-sounds-alarm-over-chinas-humanoid-robots-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi SmartMore, the first company backed by the Hong Kong government’s investment fund, has applied for a listing, underscoring the city’s crowded pipeline of technology initial public offerings (IPOs). The unicorn, founded in 2019 and specialising in industrial artificial intelligence, submitted its application on Monday night, with Morgan Stanley, China International Capital Corporation and Deutsche Bank as joint sponsors. SmartMore provides intelligent manufacturing and digital innovation through... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346854/smartmore-first-firm-backed-hong-kong-wealth-fund-seeks-ipo-tech-pipeline-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346854/smartmore-first-firm-backed-hong-kong-wealth-fund-seeks-ipo-tech-pipeline-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 06:40:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Anthropic on Monday filed a lawsuit to block the Pentagon from placing it on a national security blacklist, escalating the artificial intelligence lab’s high-stakes battle with the US military over usage restrictions on its technology. Anthropic said in its lawsuit that the designation was unlawful and violated its free speech and due process rights. The filing in federal court in California asked a judge to undo the designation and block federal ‌agencies from enforcing it. “These actions are... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346019/anthropic-sues-us-government-row-over-ai-use-military-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346019/anthropic-sues-us-government-row-over-ai-use-military-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:36:30 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s highest court says that while it handles AI-related cases with care it has allowed room for the country’s artificial intelligence industry to innovate and make mistakes, according to its annual report. Supreme People’s Court president Zhang Jun told the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislative body, on Monday that the court had “promoted the orderly development of artificial intelligence” last year. Delivering the supreme court’s work report, Zhang said China’s courts... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345999/chinas-top-court-says-it-treats-ai-cases-care-without-stifling-growth-or-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345999/chinas-top-court-says-it-treats-ai-cases-care-without-stifling-growth-or-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:12:01 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek has collaborated with researchers from Tencent Holdings and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on a new AI-based method that can improve the accuracy of three-dimensional design. The team proposed Pointer-CAD, a framework built on Alibaba Group Holding’s Qwen 2.5 model, which helps designers select edges or faces of a 3D object, increasing the accuracy and efficiency in computer-aided design (CAD), a tool widely used in engineering, manufacturing... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345687/chinese-start-deepseek-teams-tencent-hku-ai-tool-sharpen-3d-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345687/chinese-start-deepseek-teams-tencent-hku-ai-tool-sharpen-3d-design?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Ben Jiang,Wency Chen Ben Jiang,Wency Chen China has pledged to provide a range of supportive measures to promote the diffusion of advanced technology through all levels of the country’s economy, as Beijing seeks to strengthen frontier industries such as artificial intelligence amid an intensifying rivalry with the United States. In its annual work report, the government urged state-owned enterprises to take the lead in opening their vast industrial ecosystems to emerging technologies, and vowed to supply the necessary funding for all... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345595/china-put-state-owned-firms-capital-work-nurturing-tech-champions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345595/china-put-state-owned-firms-capital-work-nurturing-tech-champions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian The momentum in China’s venture-capital industry, which is recovering after years of decline, is likely to continue this year, mainly bolstered by government financing, but an expert warned that the lack of funding diversity poses a hidden risk. Fundraising picked up in 2025, with most of the gains coming from government sources, as central policymakers loosened rules to allow local governments to issue more bonds to finance government guidance funds, according to a report released on Tuesday by... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345502/chinas-venture-capital-revival-fuelled-state-cash-faces-risk-losing-momentum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345502/chinas-venture-capital-revival-fuelled-state-cash-faces-risk-losing-momentum?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:20:41 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi The capital market is likely to be a battleground between traditional businesses and artificial intelligence start-ups, as tech investors expect both to survive AI-driven disruption through mergers and acquisitions (M&As). The outlook follows the launch of new agentic products by start-ups like Anthropic, which pushed investors to view AI as a potential replacement for the business models of established industry leaders, triggering an “AI scare trade” in January in listed software, wealth... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345226/how-ai-scare-trade-sparking-ma-battles-traditional-firms-and-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345226/how-ai-scare-trade-sparking-ma-battles-traditional-firms-and-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:39:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Treasury Department said on Monday it is ending use of all Anthropic products, following US President Donald Trump’s government-wide ban on the AI start-up after it rejected the Pentagon’s demands. The US Treasury “is terminating all use of Anthropic products, including the use of its Claude platform, within our department”, said Secretary Scott Bessent in a social media statement. The decision comes at the direction of Trump, he added. “Under President Trump no private company will ever... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345184/us-treasury-says-it-stopping-use-anthropics-tech-including-its-claude-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345184/us-treasury-says-it-stopping-use-anthropics-tech-including-its-claude-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:15:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Donald Trump told the US government on Friday to “immediately” stop using Anthropic’s technology after the AI start-up rejected the Pentagon’s demand that it agree to unconditional military use of its Claude models. Anthropic insists its technology should not be used for the mass surveillance of US citizens or deployed in fully autonomous weapons systems, while the Pentagon says it operates within the law and that contracted suppliers cannot set terms on how their products are... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344946/trump-tells-us-government-immediately-stop-using-anthropic-ai-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344946/trump-tells-us-government-immediately-stop-using-anthropic-ai-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 22:19:58 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Meta Platforms is moving forward with integrating the newly acquired artificial intelligence agent start-up Manus, according to two sources, despite Beijing’s probe into the US$2 billion deal. Some members of the Manus team in Singapore had moved into Facebook parent Meta’s offices and were granted Meta corporate accounts and other access, one of the sources said. Meta was also offering its employees the opportunity to transfer to Manus, preferring Chinese-speaking staff, a second source... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344755/facebook-owner-meta-presses-ahead-manus-merger-despite-beijing-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344755/facebook-owner-meta-presses-ahead-manus-merger-despite-beijing-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:30:08 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models, led by those from MiniMax AI and Moonshot AI, have topped global token usage, ending a year of market dominance for US developers, according to data from OpenRouter. Online AI hosting platform OpenRouter’s latest ranking reflected the increased international demand for Chinese open-source models on its site following a series of new releases. Launched around two weeks ago, the M2.5 from Shanghai-based MiniMax emerged as the most popular AI... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344587/chinas-minimax-moonshot-top-ai-token-use-ranking-ending-year-us-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344587/chinas-minimax-moonshot-top-ai-token-use-ranking-ending-year-us-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:30:07 +0000 Vincent Chow,Ben Jiang Vincent Chow,Ben Jiang US artificial intelligence lab Anthropic’s allegation that Chinese AI firms were “distilling” its Claude models has exposed a widely used AI training technique, sparking heated debate over its accepted boundaries, an analyst said. Anthropic said in a blog post on Monday that DeepSeek, Moonshot AI and MiniMax AI used roughly 24,000 fraudulent accounts to generate more than 16 million exchanges with its Claude models. The US firm said the activity amounted to unauthorised “distillation” of its... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3344499/anthropics-distilling-charges-against-chinese-firms-expose-ai-training-grey-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3344499/anthropics-distilling-charges-against-chinese-firms-expose-ai-training-grey-area?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:05:35 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Last August, Beijing hosted the world’s first ever robotics competition, hailed as the Olympics for robotics, where human-shaped biped robots competed in sports events. Opening the grand show was a piano piece performed by a human pianist and a humanoid robot developed by Beijing-based start-up LinkerBot, which specialises in making dexterous hands for humanoids. The LinkerBot robot pianist was equipped with the company’s L6 mode of dexterous hands, designed for refined and delicate operations... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344242/doraemon-dexterous-hands-chinas-linkerbot-equips-robots-human-skills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344242/doraemon-dexterous-hands-chinas-linkerbot-equips-robots-human-skills?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin They are young, intensely competitive, and unapologetic about 80-hour work weeks. Welcome to the United States’ new generation of tech founders. Gen Z’s start-up class is reframing “millennial hustle culture” by shifting from side gigs and personal branding to a more rigid office grind, while looking to China for inspiration. It’s for this reason that US artificial intelligence start-ups are openly embracing 996, the controversial 9am to 9pm, six-day-a-week schedule popularised by Chinese tech... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344052/996-goes-west-us-ai-start-ups-adopt-china-techs-controversial-work-schedule-get-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344052/996-goes-west-us-ai-start-ups-adopt-china-techs-controversial-work-schedule-get-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Artificial intelligence chip designer Enflame Technology on Wednesday entered the inquiry stage of its initial public offering, moving a step closer to joining a string of high-profile semiconductor sector listings on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s technology-focused Star Market. The listing of the Shanghai-based unicorn is the next closely watched chip offering, as investor appetite for domestic AI chipmakers remains strong. In this explainer, the South China Morning Post examines the next steps... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343336/will-chinese-ai-chip-designer-enflames-shanghai-ipo-be-another-blockbuster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343336/will-chinese-ai-chip-designer-enflames-shanghai-ipo-be-another-blockbuster?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:20 +0000