https://www.scmp.com/rss/325115/feed Sarah Dai is a senior technology reporter with the Post. Based in Beijing, she has been following China’s AI champions since 2017, with industry focuses on security, autonomous driving, healthcare and data analytics. Previously, she worked as financial correspondent for Caixin Media in Hong Kong for more than two years and wrote for China Daily in Beijing and London. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com It boasts some of the highest scores for math and science students, produces brilliant scholars in fields such as quantum computing and AI, and will soon launch a probe destined for Mars. Yet China remains well behind in semiconductors, the enabling technology behind many of these achievements. Despite recent moves to achieve greater self-sufficiency in strategic areas of technology, semiconductor design and production remains a complex business, requiring decades of research and development to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3090433/can-chinas-fledging-semiconductor-industry-rescue-huawei-tighter-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3090433/can-chinas-fledging-semiconductor-industry-rescue-huawei-tighter-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2020 22:00:17 +0000 UK chip designer Arm is wrestling for control of its Chinese joint venture after its decision to oust the unit’s leader was challenged publicly by Arm China this week. SoftBank-owned Arm, which specialises in chip design software and whose clients include Huawei Technologies, said earlier this week that the board of its Chinese joint venture had agreed to remove its executive chairman and chief executive officer Allen Wu and had appointed two company vice-presidents to lead as co-CEOs in the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3088817/uk-chip-firm-arm-wrestles-control-chinese-joint-venture-amid-public?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3088817/uk-chip-firm-arm-wrestles-control-chinese-joint-venture-amid-public?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jun 2020 10:30:11 +0000 When Chinese autonomous driving start-up WeRide conducted a remote driving test using 4G wireless networks two years ago, the results were underwhelming: the top speed reached within safety parameters was only 5km per hour. Soon after, WeRide was approached by national telecoms carrier China Unicom with an offer to help it migrate its driverless technology to next-generation 5G networks. Within a month, Unicom had installed more than a dozen 5G base stations on Guangzhou Biological Island where... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3088419/why-5g-considered-essential-element-chinas-autonomous-driving-road?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3088419/why-5g-considered-essential-element-chinas-autonomous-driving-road?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jun 2020 22:30:16 +0000 Didi Chuxing, China’s largest ride-hailing platform, is hiring van and truck drivers for its entry into the freight and logistics business despite stiff competition in the sector amid a macroeconomic slowdown. The Beijing-based company is hiring 580 drivers in 10 Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Chengdu and Hangzhou for on-demand freight orders, it said in a hiring post. Those signing up should be licensed to drive vehicles ranging from minivans to 4.2 metre-long trucks, it... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3087320/chinas-ride-hailing-giant-didi-chuxing-hiring-truck-drivers-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3087320/chinas-ride-hailing-giant-didi-chuxing-hiring-truck-drivers-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2020 04:29:59 +0000 Sequoia Capital China’s founding and managing partner Neil Shen Nanpeng and Chen Xun, managing partner at SoftBank Vision Fund, have both stepped down from Qihoo 360’s board of directors, citing personal reasons, according to a regulatory filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Sunday. Founded in 2005, Qihoo 360 is China’s largest provider of internet and mobile security products, and describes itself as bringing together the largest ‘white hat army’ in the eastern hemisphere to solve cyber... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3087203/sequoia-capital-chinas-neil-shen-and-softbank-vision-fund-partner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3087203/sequoia-capital-chinas-neil-shen-and-softbank-vision-fund-partner?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2020 10:13:05 +0000 Xpeng Motors, one of Tesla’s most prominent Chinese challengers, is preparing for an initial public offering in the US, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Guangzhou-based start-up is expected to raise about US$500 million, according to media reports, although plans remain at an early stage. A company spokeswoman declined to comment on its listing plan on Tuesday. The IPO preparation comes as competition is expected to intensify in the world’s largest electric vehicle market,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3087121/chinas-tesla-challenger-xpeng-said-be-preparing-us-listing-countrys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3087121/chinas-tesla-challenger-xpeng-said-be-preparing-us-listing-countrys?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2020 05:22:33 +0000 Didi Chuxing has raised more than US$500 million for its autonomous driving subsidiary in a funding round led by SoftBank Group Corp’s Vision Fund 2, heating up the race in China to develop a driverless future. The deal marks the first fundraising effort for the Didi unit, which became an independent business last year, as well as the single largest investment made in China’s autonomous driving sector, according to the Beijing-based ride-hailing giant in a statement on Friday. It did not provide... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3086762/didi-chuxing-raises-us500-million-self-driving-unit-funding-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3086762/didi-chuxing-raises-us500-million-self-driving-unit-funding-round?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2020 13:01:03 +0000 China’s ambitions to eliminate poverty can be helped by using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to level uneven distribution of resources and boost employment, according to an outspoken tech leader. Liu Qingfeng, chairman of Chinese AI champion iFlyTek – and also a delegate to China’s National People's Congress (NPC) parliament – said he expects AI technology to play a vital role in lifting China out of poverty. Beijing had set 2020 as a target year to rid the country of poverty but that... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3086668/chinese-tech-leader-says-ai-can-play-role-beijings-goal-eliminating?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3086668/chinese-tech-leader-says-ai-can-play-role-beijings-goal-eliminating?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2020 08:30:15 +0000 China’s artificial intelligence (AI) speech recognition champion iFlyTek is going against the grain with a bet that bricks-and-mortar sales will remain a major retail sales channel in future. The Hefei-based company expects offline stores to steadily rise and contribute around 70 per cent of its total sales in future, from an even split between online and offline last year, according to iFlyTek vice-president Li Chuangang. He did not specify an exact date for the forecast. The company plans to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/3086522/chinas-voice-recognition-king-iflytek-goes-against-grain-forecast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/3086522/chinas-voice-recognition-king-iflytek-goes-against-grain-forecast?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2020 11:00:05 +0000 At what age can a child start coding? What is the right age for kids to learn computer programming? While ambitious parents in China are already registering kids as young as four for coding classes, the CEO of a major Chinese online gaming and entertainment company proposes that the playing field be levelled by including computer programming in China’s compulsory basic education curriculum. William Ding Lei, the founder and chief executive of Hangzhou-based NetEase, said in a proposal for the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-leaders-and-founders/article/3085399/coding-should-be-part-basic-education-chinese-kids?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-leaders-and-founders/article/3085399/coding-should-be-part-basic-education-chinese-kids?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2020 09:30:13 +0000 Baidu chief executive Robin Li Yanhong has called for Chinese government bodies to work together on a coordinated approach to manage the personal data collected and stored during the coronavirus pandemic. In a proposal for the Two Sessions, China’s annual legislative and political advisory gathering that is slated to kick off on Thursday, the billionaire tech leader suggested having an opt-out mechanism to withdraw personal data that was collected during the pandemic. Government bodies should... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-leaders-and-founders/article/3085315/baidu-chief-calls-coordinated-chinese-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-leaders-and-founders/article/3085315/baidu-chief-calls-coordinated-chinese-government?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2020 22:45:09 +0000 Xpeng Motors has received government permission to independently assemble its electric vehicles, months after it acquired a local car maker, as the start-up moves into a higher gear to challenge Tesla in China. The manufacturing licence, granted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, enables Xpeng to soon start large-scale production of its P7 electric sports car at its new highly automated plant, according to an Xpeng statement on Tuesday The factory opening followed Xpeng’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3085094/alibaba-backed-xpeng-gets-go-ahead-assemble-its-own-electric-cars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3085094/alibaba-backed-xpeng-gets-go-ahead-assemble-its-own-electric-cars?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2020 10:29:07 +0000 Making your marriage official with just a scan of your face may sound a little far-fetched, but in a few months it will be an option for soon-to-wed couples in Xian, the capital city of China’s central Shaanxi province. By the end of September, all marriage registries in the city will have automated, AI-powered terminals where couples can obtain their marriage certificates by scanning their faces or identification cards, local newspaper Hua Shang Daily reported on Thursday. With the introduction... https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/3084341/couples-xian-china-will-soon-be-able-register-their-marriages-face?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/3084341/couples-xian-china-will-soon-be-able-register-their-marriages-face?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2020 09:00:22 +0000 Baidu, China's biggest internet search company and artificial intelligence (AI) champion, said it is investing a further 500 million yuan (US$70.5 million) to boost its live-streaming services, aiming to cultivate 1,000 star content creators amid a surge in online users during the coronavirus pandemic. “Baidu will promote the live-streaming business more proactively [this year],” said Baidu executive vice-president Shen Dou at the company’s annual 2020 Wanxiang Conference on Wednesday. Shen said... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3084253/chinese-internet-giant-baidu-invests-us705-million-live-streaming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3084253/chinese-internet-giant-baidu-invests-us705-million-live-streaming?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2020 22:45:11 +0000 As final-year students and their teachers in Beijing return to school for the first time since the coronavirus lockdowns, city authorities are adopting wearable smart technology to help prevent further large-scale outbreaks. The latest solution involves a smart wristband that monitors body temperature in real time. Beijing has rolled out the pilot scheme among final-year students, according to an online report in state-owned Beijing Daily on Monday. The goal is to “spot irregularities and invoke... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3083827/beijing-adopts-smart-wristbands-real-time-fever-detection-students?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3083827/beijing-adopts-smart-wristbands-real-time-fever-detection-students?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2020 09:45:14 +0000 Online sales of physical goods surged 36.3 per cent year-on-year during the Labour Day holiday in China, helping to drive the recovery of the country’s retail scene which has been suffering from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, China’s Ministry of Commerce said at a briefing on Friday. “The epidemic has given rise to increasing interest in new types of consumption such as online grocery shopping, online education and telemedicine,” said vice-minister for commerce Wang Bingnan at the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3083562/e-commerce-live-streaming-help-drive-recovery-chinas-retail-scene?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3083562/e-commerce-live-streaming-help-drive-recovery-chinas-retail-scene?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2020 22:00:13 +0000 Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing’s core business has been profitable, president Jean Liu Qing said for the first time, as ride orders in its domestic market recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In a rare interview, Liu told the CNBC that Didi’s core business has been profitable, without providing specific figures or explaining how or when the company had measured its profitability. The company has no plans for job cuts or raising capital, Liu said in the interview that... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3083261/didi-boss-jean-liu-says-core-business-profitable-chinas-ride?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3083261/didi-boss-jean-liu-says-core-business-profitable-chinas-ride?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2020 04:37:55 +0000 Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing has reopened all of its mobility services in Wuhan, weeks after travel restrictions were lifted in the city known as the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic. Didi’s taxi-hailing, on-demand private car, Hitch carpooling and designated driving services resumed operations at midnight on Thursday in the capital of central Hubei province, according to a company statement late on Wednesday. “This moment marks a new beginning as we turn to support the full... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3082325/didi-chuxing-resumes-all-services-wuhan-chinas-ride-hailing-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3082325/didi-chuxing-resumes-all-services-wuhan-chinas-ride-hailing-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2020 08:30:08 +0000 If Huawei Technologies had a difficult 2019 with the US scaling up pressure on its global business, 2020 could turn out to be even tougher with the coronavirus adding fuel to the fire. Last month, the world’s biggest maker of telecoms equipment reported that revenue grew 19 per cent year-on-year to a record 858.8 billion yuan (US$121 billion) in 2019 – underlining its resilience in the face of multiple challenges – but warned that the Trump administration’s curbs on its ability to do business... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3082128/trump-upping-ante-and-covid-19-crisis-gripping-world-what-next-chinas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3082128/trump-upping-ante-and-covid-19-crisis-gripping-world-what-next-chinas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2020 04:00:12 +0000 Cash-strapped electric vehicle maker NIO has landed definitive agreements for a total cash infusion of 7 billion yuan (US1 billion) from strategic investors, easing concerns about its continued operation. The deal made with Hefei City Construction and Investment Holding, CMG-SDIC Capital and Anhui Provincial Emerging Industry Investment calls for NIO to “inject its core businesses and assets in China, including vehicle research and development, supply chain, sales and services and NIO Power,”... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3082199/cash-strapped-electric-carmaker-nio-obtains-us1-billion-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3082199/cash-strapped-electric-carmaker-nio-obtains-us1-billion-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2020 12:49:22 +0000 Xpeng Motors has rolled out its new P7 electric sports car in China, with an eye on stimulating consumer demand in an industry hammered by a domestic economic slowdown, reduced government subsidies and the coronavirus pandemic. “Our ability to launch the P7 in the challenging conditions of the Covid-19 crisis is a testament to the strength of our young company,” said He Xiaopeng, co-founder, chairman and chief executive of Guangzhou-based Xpeng, at the car’s online launch on Monday. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3081838/xpeng-bets-big-p7-sports-car-help-drive-turnaround-chinas-ev-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3081838/xpeng-bets-big-p7-sports-car-help-drive-turnaround-chinas-ev-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2020 02:17:43 +0000 Sarah Dai Sarah Dai SenseTime, the world’s highest valued artificial intelligence start-up, has signed a pact with the digital currency unit of China’s central bank to speed up adoption of the latest AI technologies in the financial industry. The Digital Currency Research Institute, a unit of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) that is overseeing development of a new sovereign digital currency, entered into a cooperation agreement with SenseTime to pool their research and foster innovative new applications under a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3081738/national-ai-champion-sensetime-enters-pact-chinas-central-bank-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3081738/national-ai-champion-sensetime-enters-pact-chinas-central-bank-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2020 10:00:12 +0000 In early 2013, two salesmen from a Chinese company introduced themselves to Jim Kail at a telecommunications industry trade show. Kail, president and CEO of a small rural carrier in the US state of Pennsylvania, had never heard of their company. Kail met them again over the summer that year and built up a rapport. Less than a year later LHTC Broadband ditched its US equipment vendor and went with the Chinese company, Huawei Technologies, because it was offering equipment that could do the job at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3081554/us-telcos-resigned-huawei-rip-and-replace-law-want-clarity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3081554/us-telcos-resigned-huawei-rip-and-replace-law-want-clarity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2020 04:00:08 +0000 Shanghai commuters will now be able to take robotaxis for a spin on a major Chinese ride-hailing platform, with this week’s launch of a service initiated by autonomous driving start-up AutoX and mobility super app operator AutoNavi. The service is available from Monday via AutoNavi’s Amap app, known as Gaode in Chinese, from which users can choose to request both a regular car with driver or a self-driving RoboTaxi from AutoX at the same time. The app’s algorithm determines which vehicle to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3081625/autox-alibabas-autonavi-roll-out-robotaxis-shanghais-ride-hailing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3081625/autox-alibabas-autonavi-roll-out-robotaxis-shanghais-ride-hailing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2020 00:00:30 +0000 Electric vehicle start-up Byton has put hundreds of its team in the US on furlough, following lay-offs in China last year and planned pay cuts, as disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic threaten to derail the commercial release of its first car. Byton initiated the series of cost-reduction measures this week amid efforts to put on track its main operations in Nanjing, capital of eastern coastal Jiangsu province, where production of the M-Byte electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) is... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3081262/chinese-ev-start-byton-furloughs-staff-cuts-pay-pandemic-casts-doubt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3081262/chinese-ev-start-byton-furloughs-staff-cuts-pay-pandemic-casts-doubt?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2020 09:30:35 +0000 Imagine rolling up to your home to be greeted with warm lights, air cooled to just the right temperature and water heated and ready for your shower. That will be possible for owners of SAIC Volkswagen cars in China in the near future, with a new partnership the carmaker and online shopping giant JD.com announced on Wednesday. SAIC Volkswagen’s Passat cars and other models produced this year will come with JD.com’s smart home services built in, the companies said in a statement. When linked to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3081086/forgot-switch-bedroom-lights-you-could-do-so-while-driving-china-saic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3081086/forgot-switch-bedroom-lights-you-could-do-so-while-driving-china-saic?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2020 22:40:09 +0000 Shanghai has kicked off a new development plan for its free-trade zone that focuses on the construction of 5G networks, internet of things connectivity, edge computing and improved data hubs. The new focus, detailed in five-year guidelines issued on Monday, comes as the world’s second-biggest economy looks to digital infrastructure to recover from the coronavirus slowdown and to retool its economy for the future. The city authorities will promote the construction of 5G networks, optical fibre... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3080852/shanghais-free-trade-zone-will-accelerate-digital-infrastructure-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3080852/shanghais-free-trade-zone-will-accelerate-digital-infrastructure-push?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2020 07:10:36 +0000 Chinese internet giant Baidu is offering free trial robotaxi rides to the general public in Changsha and making them available through its regular search and navigation apps, as the coronavirus pandemic bolsters its faith in an “unmanned and intelligent” future. Starting from this week, commuters in Changsha, capital of Hunan province, can hail a free autonomous ride via its popular search engine app Baidu and navigation app Baidu Maps, the company announced in a statement on Monday. It added... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3080712/chinese-internet-giant-baidu-offers-free-trial-robotaxi-rides?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3080712/chinese-internet-giant-baidu-offers-free-trial-robotaxi-rides?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2020 22:00:15 +0000 In January Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing quietly marked its second anniversary in Latin America, where it operates in six countries across the region, serving nearly 20 million registered users and employing 1 million drivers. Within weeks of that milestone, its home market was in lockdown due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, and the company went into crisis mode to respond. With the lockdowns lifted in China this month, Didi said its business has “bounced back” and that it is... https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3080454/how-chinas-didi-chuxing-quietly-grew-latin-american-ride-hailing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3080454/how-chinas-didi-chuxing-quietly-grew-latin-american-ride-hailing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:30:15 +0000 Chinese autonomous vehicle start-up Pony.ai has launched a self-driving delivery service in Irvine, California, to help fulfil increasing online grocery orders during the coronavirus lockdown. The service, launched in partnership with Los Angeles-based e-commerce platform Yamibuy, enables residents in the area to receive their purchases of daily necessities at home in an “contactless” way, the company announced on Friday. With an initial fleet of 10 autonomous vehicles, each is expected to load... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3080371/chinas-ponyai-rolls-out-us-self-driving-delivery-service-groceries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3080371/chinas-ponyai-rolls-out-us-self-driving-delivery-service-groceries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2020 05:11:50 +0000 Sarah Dai,Yujie Xue Sarah Dai,Yujie Xue China has formed a national blockchain committee, which enlists the support of some of the country’s largest hi-tech companies to draw up standards for use of the technology across industries. This group includes telecommunications equipment maker Huawei Technologies, video games and social media powerhouse Tencent Holdings, Chinese online search market leader Baidu, fintech company Ant Financial Services and e-commerce giant JD.com, according to a statement released earlier this week by the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3080259/china-enlists-huawei-tencent-ant-financial-national-blockchain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3080259/china-enlists-huawei-tencent-ant-financial-national-blockchain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2020 10:10:13 +0000 Artificial intelligence (AI) company iFlyTek, China’s champion in speech recognition technology, expects to report a first-quarter net loss, owing to difficult operating conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Shenzhen-listed firm projected a net loss of 125 million yuan to 135 million yuan (US$17.7 million to US$19.1 million) in the March quarter, compared with a net profit of 101.9 million yuan a year ago, according to its stock exchange filing on Monday. It indicated that the pandemic... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3079846/chinese-ai-champion-iflytek-back-red-operations-struggle-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3079846/chinese-ai-champion-iflytek-back-red-operations-struggle-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2020 09:30:15 +0000 Lost your ID card? Need to pay a traffic fine? Want to collect a welfare check? A new 24-hour service is within reach with a face scan – in China. Authorities in the southern, island province of Hainan have launched facial recognition-backed public services, enabling citizens to attend to government-related matters without having to queue up for manual assistance during office hours. A total of 350 “public administrative service terminals” have been installed at local government service centres... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3079624/hainan-rolls-out-face-scanning-machines-public-services-china-pushes-digital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3079624/hainan-rolls-out-face-scanning-machines-public-services-china-pushes-digital?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2020 10:00:14 +0000 Chinese autonomous driving start-up AutoX has launched a “gigafactory” in Shanghai, which it says is the largest data hub for self-driving car data in China and the biggest robotaxi operations centre in Asia. The 80,000 square feet Shanghai RoboTaxi Operations Center houses tools for operating a large fleet of self-driving cars, the company said in a statement on Friday. It will also serve as a big data centre, collecting and storing data gleaned from daily operation of the fleet and from... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3079362/chinese-self-driving-start-autox-sets-asias-largest-robotaxi-operations-centre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3079362/chinese-self-driving-start-autox-sets-asias-largest-robotaxi-operations-centre?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2020 10:00:15 +0000 Smile. Make eye contact. Shake the interviewer’s hand firmly. For years, that has been the standard-issue advice for fresh graduates seeking to make a good first impression and snag a job. A lot of that wisdom has become redundant in recent months, though, as in-person interviews are becoming a rarity in China amid lockdowns, social distancing and the temporary closure of many businesses. For 22-year-old Wang Hengli, job hunting ahead of his graduation from the Wuhan Institute of Technology in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3079156/nailing-perfect-handshake-no-longer-crucial-getting-job-china-hiring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3079156/nailing-perfect-handshake-no-longer-crucial-getting-job-china-hiring?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2020 22:00:12 +0000 The CEO of Zoom Video Technologies acknowledged in a live-streamed broadcast on Wednesday that the company had made “missteps” in handling a surge of new users staying home during the coronavirus pandemic, leading to problems such as routing of traffic through China and “Zoombombing”, when uninvited guests crash meetings. Zoom’s popular video conferencing app was built primarily for enterprise and business customers, but people have been using it in unexpected ways in the past few weeks... https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3079208/zoom-ceo-acknowledges-security-missteps-says-impact-calls-routed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3079208/zoom-ceo-acknowledges-security-missteps-says-impact-calls-routed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2020 09:45:13 +0000 Hackers targeted Chinese agencies and diplomatic missions in a coordinated cyber espionage campaign, according to a report by a leading Chinese internet security provider. Both domestic Chinese agencies and Beijing’s diplomatic missions in countries including Italy, the UK, North Korea and Thailand have been attacked, according to a report by Qihoo 360. It speculated in the report that the East Asia-based DarkHotel hacking group attacked Chinese operations for reasons linked to the pandemic. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/hackers-target-beijing-and-who-amid-pandemic-reports-say/article/3078943?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/hackers-target-beijing-and-who-amid-pandemic-reports-say/article/3078943?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2020 10:32:06 +0000 Chinese agencies and diplomatic missions have been targeted by hackers through their virtual private network (VPN) servers in a coordinated cyber espionage campaign, at a time when many governments and global organisations are more vulnerable than ever to security breaches due to remote working arrangements amid the pandemic, according to a report by a leading Chinese cybersecurity provider. Both domestic Chinese agencies and diplomatic missions in countries including Italy, the UK, North Korea... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3078808/hackers-target-chinese-government-agencies-diplomatic-missions-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3078808/hackers-target-chinese-government-agencies-diplomatic-missions-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2020 10:45:40 +0000 Even as popular video conferencing app Zoom pledges to improve in response to privacy and security concerns, experts warn that the platform is just one example of larger security threats looming due to the global wave of remote working and learning caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. “Companies have dramatically altered the way they work, which is leading to security problems,” said Ben Wootliff, head of Control Risks Cyber Security practice in Asia, adding that mitigation measures and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3078566/zooms-security-backlash-points-bigger-threats-coronavirus-led?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3078566/zooms-security-backlash-points-bigger-threats-coronavirus-led?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2020 21:00:18 +0000 Zen Soo,Sarah Dai Zen Soo,Sarah Dai Like many Chinese entrepreneurs, Huawei Technologies’ founder Ren Zhengfei knew he would have to crack the US market before the company could truly become a global operation. Ren, who studied the management techniques of US tech giants like IBM, had been trying to make headway in the US since the early 2000s but was getting resistance from lawmakers there who viewed the company as an extension of Chinese government intelligence efforts. By January 2018 however, Huawei felt that its efforts were... https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3078451/how-did-huawei-fall-foul-us-government-and-find-itself-epicentre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/3078451/how-did-huawei-fall-foul-us-government-and-find-itself-epicentre?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2020 23:00:26 +0000 The judicial system in China is set for a hi-tech shake-up, as artificial intelligence (AI) will soon automate the traditional job performed by clerks in courtrooms across the country. That initiative started on Wednesday under a pilot programme in Shanghai, where 10 courts replaced clerks with AI assistants to transcribe case notes, pull out files and present digitised evidence, according to a report by Legal Daily. “Replacing manual records with recordings and automated transcribing, using... https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/3077979/shanghai-judicial-courts-start-replace-clerks-ai-assistants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/3077979/shanghai-judicial-courts-start-replace-clerks-ai-assistants?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2020 12:00:19 +0000 China’s online education platform Yuanfudao has secured US$1 billion in a new funding round led by Hillhouse Capital and its previous investor Tencent Holdings, as the coronavirus outbreak drives up demand for e-learning with many children still at home. The Series G funding round will push the Beijing-based start-up’s valuation to US$7.8 billion, according to a company statement on Tuesday. With a focus on K-12 learning, Yuanfudao’s products include artificial intelligence-enabled virtual... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3077915/online-education-start-yuanfudao-raises-us1bn-sector-hots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3077915/online-education-start-yuanfudao-raises-us1bn-sector-hots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2020 06:29:10 +0000 A group of Chinese and US researchers have jointly developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool to predict which newly infected coronavirus patients would have a higher risk for severe complications from Covid-19. Researchers at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, along with their counterparts at the Wenzhou Central Hospital and Cangnan People’s Hospital, worked on a study that designed computer models, which made... https://www.scmp.com/tech/science-research/article/3077764/new-ai-tool-jointly-developed-chinese-us-researchers-can-help?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/science-research/article/3077764/new-ai-tool-jointly-developed-chinese-us-researchers-can-help?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2020 21:30:16 +0000 Chinese state-owned carmaker Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) and ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing have teamed up with other industry players on a platform that will offer BAIC’s cars for lease, amid a slump in new car sales during the coronavirus pandemic. Under the alliance, which also includes electric vehicle battery maker CATL, State Grid, Postal Savings Bank of China and online second car trading platform Uxin, the companies plan to jointly promote a fleet of 100,000 cars for lease on a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3077605/didi-baic-and-other-partners-launch-right-use-car-leasing-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3077605/didi-baic-and-other-partners-launch-right-use-car-leasing-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:45:05 +0000 Beijing-based big data and artificial intelligence (AI) company MiningLamp Technology, which has been called “China’s Palantir” for its similarities to the US data analytics firm, has closed a US$300 million funding round co-led by Singapore’s state investor Temasek Holdings and Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings. The Chinese company’s Series E funding round has attracted short-video start-up Kuaishou among other backers, it announced in a statement on Friday, adding that the investment... https://www.scmp.com/tech/venture-capital/article/3077201/chinas-palantir-mininglamp-raises-us300-million-funding-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/venture-capital/article/3077201/chinas-palantir-mininglamp-raises-us300-million-funding-round?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2020 02:47:56 +0000 In comics, television and film, there is almost no hiding from Superman because of his powerful X-ray vision. The famous exception is his inability to see through lead. Nearly 82 years since this superhero first appeared in Action Comics #1 on April 1938, the line between science fiction and reality is blurring fast in China, as more advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology are being used to help stop the coronavirus from spreading. Roving security staff at Hongyuan Park, part of the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3077122/hangzhou-park-security-uses-ai-powered-smart-glasses-detect-people-fever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3077122/hangzhou-park-security-uses-ai-powered-smart-glasses-detect-people-fever?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2020 11:30:07 +0000 Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Megvii Technology announced on Wednesday that it would make its deep learning framework open-source, as China steps up the development of home-grown AI and makes the technologies more accessible. Initially developed in 2014, MegEngine is part of Megvii’s proprietary AI platform, Brain++, which can train computer vision at large scale and enable developers across the world to build AI solutions for industrial and commercial use, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3077023/megvii-makes-deep-learning-ai-framework-open-source-china-moves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3077023/megvii-makes-deep-learning-ai-framework-open-source-china-moves?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2020 01:04:46 +0000 Concerned about being infected with Covid-19 but reluctant to venture out for a check-up? You are not alone and solutions are out there. Overseas users – many of whom are Chinese – are turning to online health consultation services backed by Chinese tech companies, as more countries around the world impose lockdowns to fight the pandemic. Service providers Baidu, JD and Chunyu Doctor have seen over 320,000 queries combined from overseas users since they launched their free-of-charge telemedicine... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3076684/chinese-people-overseas-are-turning-online-health-platforms-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3076684/chinese-people-overseas-are-turning-online-health-platforms-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2020 09:00:14 +0000 Chinese electric car maker Xpeng Motors has acquired an established local auto manufacturer, in a move that could take it one step closer to being able to independently produce its own vehicles. The Guangzhou-based carmaker confirmed on Monday that it had fully acquired Foshan-based Guangdong Foday Auto Company. “The transaction is a critical step of our long term strategic plan,” an Xpeng spokeswoman said. “It will further strengthen Xpeng’s supply chain management, product development and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3076403/chinese-tesla-challenger-xpeng-acquires-auto-manufacturer-could-gain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3076403/chinese-tesla-challenger-xpeng-acquires-auto-manufacturer-could-gain?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2020 09:00:16 +0000 China’s Chongqing city government has tapped search giant Baidu to build a testing ground for autonomous vehicles, as Chinese cities race to prepare for smart infrastructure and a driverless future. The 52 million yuan (US$7.3 million) project includes building road infrastructure with embedded sensors, traffic signal control systems and developing edge computing and data storage capabilities, said Baidu in a statement on Thursday. Upon completion, the 20-square-kilometre open area in the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3076088/baidu-build-self-driving-test-facility-chongqing-western-city-pushes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3076088/baidu-build-self-driving-test-facility-chongqing-western-city-pushes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2020 05:27:20 +0000