https://www.scmp.com/rss/524800/feed Eunice is a journalist and writer based in Hong Kong. She previously worked in finance. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s southern tech hub Shenzhen began operations of the country’s first 10,000-card intelligent computing cluster, built with advanced chips made by Huawei Technologies, in the latest sign of how the country is deepening its push for home-grown computing capabilities. Featuring a computing capacity of 11,000 petaflops, the new cluster, activated last week, is the country’s first 10,000-card intelligent computing cluster built with Huawei’s Ascend 910C AI chips, according to Shenzhen Special... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348502/shenzhen-activates-chinas-first-10000-card-ai-cluster-domestic-chips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348502/shenzhen-activates-chinas-first-10000-card-ai-cluster-domestic-chips?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Themis Qi,Eunice Xu Themis Qi,Eunice Xu South Korea has become a focal point of Asia’s petrochemical crisis, a frontline economy suddenly forced to navigate the fallout from the Middle East turmoil while scrambling for alternatives. Its semiconductor and industrial sectors, already heavily dependent on imported naphtha, are now exposed to geopolitical shocks that are rippling across the region. South Korea relies on imports for about 45 per cent of its naphtha demand. About 77 per cent of those come from the Middle East. On Monday,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348503/asias-chip-industry-faces-naphtha-squeeze-and-south-korea-feels-it-most?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348503/asias-chip-industry-faces-naphtha-squeeze-and-south-korea-feels-it-most?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:30:13 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu As leading Chinese chip executives predict that autonomous AI agents will trigger an unprecedented explosion in computing demand, Hong Kong is accelerating efforts to expand its artificial intelligence computing capacity. Calling token consumption in the era of AI “far beyond our imagination”, Zhang Jianzhong, founder and CEO of graphics processing unit designer Moore Threads, said at an AI summit in Hong Kong on Saturday that the exponential surge in demand had made it impossible for anyone to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3347609/surging-demand-ai-agents-fuels-hong-kongs-race-expand-computing-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3347609/surging-demand-ai-agents-fuels-hong-kongs-race-expand-computing-power?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 02:30:09 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu In late 2022, Syed Musheer Ahmed packed his bags and departed Hong Kong. The founder of fintech advisory firm FinStep Asia headed for Dubai, where he joined the founding team of the Gulf city’s new digital-asset regulator, Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). Like many in Hong Kong’s crypto scene at the time, Ahmed was drawn by the Middle East’s regulatory clarity – a stark contrast to the uncertainty and Covid-19 restrictions still lingering in his adopted home. “Dubai came up as a good... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3347286/will-hong-kongs-regulatory-clarity-crypto-forge-path-global-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3347286/will-hong-kongs-regulatory-clarity-crypto-forge-path-global-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Artificial intelligence is stepping off the screen and into the physical world, as Chinese engineers integrate OpenClaw, the open-source AI agent that has taken China by storm, into robots capable of executing real-world tasks. Domestic robotics giant Ecovacs unveiled Bajie, a robot integrated with OpenClaw, at the Appliance and Electronics World Expo in Shanghai last week. Equipped with a robotic arm and gripper mounted on a round, vacuum-shaped wheeled base, Bajie demonstrated its ability to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346916/how-chinese-robot-makers-are-tapping-openclaw-take-real-world-tasks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346916/how-chinese-robot-makers-are-tapping-openclaw-take-real-world-tasks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Hong Kong is poised to launch the world’s first open-source human-AI agent collaboration network, along with a series of everyday artificial intelligence products to assist citizens with activities such as applying for schools and analysing horse racing. The Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Centre (HKGAI) said it would soon offer on an open-source basis a human-AI agent collaboration network named “ClawNet”, designed to ensure AI agents “only do things that are allowed”,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346777/hong-kong-launch-worlds-first-governed-ai-agent-network-amid-openclaw-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346777/hong-kong-launch-worlds-first-governed-ai-agent-network-amid-openclaw-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 23:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Global businesses are pouring billions into artificial intelligence amid a growing fear of missing out on enterprise AI strategies, according to Ken Wong, president of Lenovo’s Solutions & Services Group (SSG). However, despite projections of massive financial returns, the vast majority of these initiatives were not deemed a success, he added. Wong, whose division helps businesses build and maintain AI infrastructure, estimated more than 90 per cent of these pilots fail to reach satisfactory... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346506/companies-ramp-ai-spending-even-most-pilots-fail-deploy-lenovo-executive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346506/companies-ramp-ai-spending-even-most-pilots-fail-deploy-lenovo-executive?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Eunice Xu,He Huifeng Eunice Xu,He Huifeng Tech giant Xiaomi has tested self-developed humanoid robots for car production, as the company pushes forward with plans to deploy “a large number” of self-developed humanoid robots in its own factories over the next five years, company founder Lei Jun has said. Lei, also Xiaomi’s CEO and chairman, shared an article on Monday about trial operations in the firm’s car production facility, where the robots were said to have operated autonomously for three continuous hours, successfully completing... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345263/xiaomi-deploy-large-number-humanoid-robots-its-factories-within-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345263/xiaomi-deploy-large-number-humanoid-robots-its-factories-within-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:16:22 +0000 Coco Feng,Eunice Xu Coco Feng,Eunice Xu Artificial intelligence has become a stronger force on the battlefield, with the US military’s use of AI-assisted strikes on Iran underscoring what analysts say is the “urgency” for China to accelerate its push for tech self-reliance. The US Department of Defence deployed Anthropic’s systems in the Iran campaign even after their deal collapsed, according to reports by The Wall Street Journal and Reuters. The technology was used for intelligence assessments, target identification and battle... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345164/ai-assisted-us-strikes-iran-intensify-china-drive-tech-self-reliance-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345164/ai-assisted-us-strikes-iran-intensify-china-drive-tech-self-reliance-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu On-demand helicopter services gained momentum during the Chinese New Year amid a travel rush, giving a boost to the country’s low-altitude economy. Demand increased significantly during the hectic holiday period, with overall bookings rising nearly 1.5 times compared with normal levels, said Li Xin, a manager at Shanghai Xinkong Helicopter, in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV). Capitalising on the rush, the operator launched a new route on Monday linking Shanghai with Haimen and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344484/helicopter-travel-takes-china-during-spring-festival-rush?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344484/helicopter-travel-takes-china-during-spring-festival-rush?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Ant Group’s artificial intelligence health app AQ surpassed 100 million users during the Spring Festival holiday, the company said, underlining growing momentum in China’s AI-driven healthcare sector. The app topped China’s Apple App Store overall download rankings for several consecutive days over the holiday period, according to Ant Group. Ant Group attributed the surge in part to younger, tech-savvy consumers who, after returning home for Spring Festival gatherings, shared the app with their... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344359/ants-aq-health-app-breaks-through-100-million-users-amid-holiday-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344359/ants-aq-health-app-breaks-through-100-million-users-amid-holiday-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese artificial intelligence glasses enjoyed a sales boom over the Spring Festival, fuelled by pent-up consumer demand and a new national subsidy. Huaqiangbei, a subdistrict in Shenzhen that is home to the world’s biggest electronics wholesale market, saw total revenue jump 35 per cent year on year during the Spring Festival, led by strong demand for AI glasses, according to a report by the 21st Century Business Herald daily newspaper. Sales of AI glasses surged up to 80 per cent, while those... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344338/ai-eyewear-sees-brisk-sales-during-chinas-spring-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344338/ai-eyewear-sees-brisk-sales-during-chinas-spring-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu US software company OpenMind, according to founder and CEO Jan Liphardt, caused a commotion last year at a park in San Francisco where the firm shot a promotional video. “A crowd of people came, children came running, cars stopped and the police came,” he said, because “there was a robot in the park”. In an interview, Liphardt told the South China Morning Post that such a scenario would have been treated differently on the other side of the world. “If a [Unitree] G1 walked across the street in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344172/software-connection-us-firm-opens-doors-global-adoption-chinas-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344172/software-connection-us-firm-opens-doors-global-adoption-chinas-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu In a makeshift boxing ring, two humanoids square off; one in blue headgear and gloves, the other in matching red. The spectacle might be run-of-the-mill for a robotics conference, but this was Consensus Hong Kong 2026, one of the largest events for the digital assets industry. Behind the human-controlled fighting humanoids was BitRobot, an embodied AI research network built on the Solana blockchain. Despite the bitcoin drawdown of recent weeks, the mood was upbeat. Consensus this year... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343349/policy-products-web3-innovation-takes-centre-stage-consensus-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343349/policy-products-web3-innovation-takes-centre-stage-consensus-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 13:00:14 +0000 Eunice Xu,Iris Deng Eunice Xu,Iris Deng The majority of Hong Kong’s white-collar workers are embracing artificial intelligence in their daily work, but executives’ reluctance to use the technology risks slowing enterprise-wide adoption, according to a survey by McKinsey & Company. Nearly 70 per cent of white-collar workers in Hong Kong use AI, with more than 90 per cent engaging with the tools at least once a day, according to findings from the consulting firm’s local survey released on Wednesday. Most workers use AI for specific... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343205/hong-kong-executives-trail-employees-ai-adoption-mckinsey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343205/hong-kong-executives-trail-employees-ai-adoption-mckinsey?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu As Consensus 2026 officially kicks off in Hong Kong this week, digital asset firms are rolling out product updates to coincide with one of the industry’s most significant events. Digital asset custodian Hex Trust launched Aura on Wednesday, a wealth management platform for private investors that integrates trading, investment and estate planning. “Aura marks a new evolution for Hex Trust,” said the firm’s CEO and co-founder Alessio Quaglini in a press release. He noted that while Hex Trust had... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343075/stablecoins-wealth-platforms-launched-consensus-2026-amid-tighter-beijing-oversight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343075/stablecoins-wealth-platforms-launched-consensus-2026-amid-tighter-beijing-oversight?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Ji Siqi,Eunice Xu Ji Siqi,Eunice Xu With China explicitly banning onshore tokenisation of real-world assets (RWAs) while tightening scrutiny of related offshore activities, analysts say the clampdown is aimed at curbing financial fraud and disorderly capital outflows, while still preserving space for regulated innovation in markets such as Hong Kong. Tokenisation refers to the process of converting the rights to an RWA – including real estate, art, bonds and commodities like gold – into a digital token. Such tokens represent... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342952/chinas-necessary-asset-tokenisation-ban-targets-scams-and-capital-flight-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342952/chinas-necessary-asset-tokenisation-ban-targets-scams-and-capital-flight-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:30:19 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese robotics firms continue to secure fresh financing, including from state-backed funds, as investors shift focus from hardware to the “brains” of humanoids – the software and operating systems that underpin their intelligence. Alongside hardware-centric companies like Unitree Robotics, a new wave of firms is emerging with capital directed towards robotic software and operating systems. Shenzhen-based humanoid robot maker LimX Dynamics announced on Monday the completion of its US$200... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342246/funding-surge-powers-chinese-robotics-firms-focus-shifts-humanoid-brains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342246/funding-surge-powers-chinese-robotics-firms-focus-shifts-humanoid-brains?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:00:38 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Hong Kong’s cryptocurrency investors remain cautiously optimistic despite a sharp market sell-off over the weekend that pushed major digital assets to months-long lows. Bitcoin slid to US$74,541 on Monday morning, its lowest level in 10 months, extending a decline of about 40 per cent from its record high above US$126,000. That peak had been fuelled in part by expectations of a more crypto-friendly stance from the Trump administration. Other major tokens also weakened, with Ethereum down more... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342126/hong-kong-crypto-investors-stay-cautious-upbeat-bitcoin-sell-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342126/hong-kong-crypto-investors-stay-cautious-upbeat-bitcoin-sell-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 13:30:17 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen-3 became one of the world’s first general-purpose artificial intelligence models to be uploaded and operated in orbit, marking a milestone in China’s bid to lead the nascent space-based computing sector. Chinese aerospace start-up Adaspace Technology successfully deployed Qwen-3 to a space computing centre in orbit where it executed multiple inference tasks in November, according to company executive vice-president Wang Yabo, who spoke at a conference on Monday, as reported... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341388/alibabas-qwen-3-becomes-worlds-first-ai-model-operate-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341388/alibabas-qwen-3-becomes-worlds-first-ai-model-operate-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:00:25 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s Eyou Robot Technology has launched the world’s first automated production line for robot joints, positioning itself to capture growth ahead of a projected surge in humanoid robot shipments. The plant, based in Pudong, Shanghai, opened last Wednesday with an annual capacity of 100,000 units, with scope to triple output. Founded in 2018, Eyou supplies domestic humanoid robot makers, including industry leader AgiBot. The company achieved mass production of its products in 2023, with annual... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341229/chinas-eyou-opens-worlds-first-automated-line-humanoid-robot-joints?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341229/chinas-eyou-opens-worlds-first-automated-line-humanoid-robot-joints?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Significant worldwide shortages of memory chips are expected to persist well into 2027, according to analysts, even as the sector’s top manufacturers – Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron Technology – move to boost production capacity. According to a report by Hangzhou-based Zheshang Securities, industry expansion plans through 2026 and 2027 were unlikely to bridge the global supply gap. Micron on Saturday said it aimed to meet global memory chip demand via its US$1.8 billion acquisition of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340568/global-memory-chip-crunch-persist-even-samsung-sk-hynix-micron-boost-production?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340568/global-memory-chip-crunch-persist-even-samsung-sk-hynix-micron-boost-production?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:15:09 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s pursuit of commercial nuclear fusion technology has intensified this year, fuelled by a fresh round of financing for start-ups and state-backed initiatives. Startorus Fusion last week raised 1 billion yuan (US$143 million) from its series A round, a record for a single financing round by a private nuclear fusion company on the mainland, according to a report by the Securities Times. The deal, announced on January 12, was led by state-owned funds in Shanghai, which contributed around 400... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340430/chinas-nuclear-fusion-start-ups-power-record-funding-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340430/chinas-nuclear-fusion-start-ups-power-record-funding-round?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s drive for chip manufacturing equipment self-sufficiency advanced so rapidly in 2025 that even the country’s planners were caught by surprise, as the ratio of domestically developed semiconductor equipment surged to 35 per cent by the year’s end, up from 25 per cent in 2024. The ratio was higher than Beijing’s target of 30 per cent, set in early 2025 to encourage China’s semiconductor industry to favour local suppliers over US rivals such as Applied Materials, Lam Research and KLA,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3339366/great-chip-leap-chinas-semiconductor-equipment-self-reliance-surges-past-targets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3339366/great-chip-leap-chinas-semiconductor-equipment-self-reliance-surges-past-targets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:00:28 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu The red-hot Hong Kong initial public offerings (IPOs) of Zhipu AI and MiniMax Group, two of China’s hopefuls to take on US giants like OpenAI and Anthropic, have given a boost to Beijing’s ambitions in the artificial intelligence sector, according to executives and industry watchers. While Zhipu’s valuation of about US$9 billion and MiniMax’s market cap of US$14 billion remain tiny compared with the US giants – OpenAI is worth about US$500 billion and Anthropic’s valuation is estimated at about... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339301/minimax-and-zhipus-stellar-hong-kong-ipos-supercharge-chinas-ai-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339301/minimax-and-zhipus-stellar-hong-kong-ipos-supercharge-chinas-ai-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Monday credited Chinese start-up DeepSeek with “activating” a global shift towards open-source artificial intelligence, as he used a keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to unveil new hardware aimed at training ever more powerful AI systems. Speaking at the annual trade show, Huang said DeepSeek’s models – released earlier last year – had accelerated the growth of the open-source ecosystem, even after the company’s R1 model, which required fewer... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338887/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-credits-deepseek-accelerating-open-source-ai-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338887/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-credits-deepseek-accelerating-open-source-ai-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:59:34 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Another Chinese quantitative trading firm has entered the race to develop large language models (LLMs), unveiling systems it claims can match – and in some cases surpass – the performance of US rivals such as OpenAI’s GPT-5.1, following the global rise of DeepSeek. Beijing-based Ubiquant said it released a series of open-source code-focused LLMs last week that outperformed leading closed-source models on multiple benchmarks despite using far fewer parameters. The IQuest-Coder-V1 family is... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338794/another-chinese-quant-fund-joins-deepseek-ai-race-model-rivalling-gpt-51-claude?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338794/another-chinese-quant-fund-joins-deepseek-ai-race-model-rivalling-gpt-51-claude?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:00:14 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu DeepSeek’s proposed “mHC” architecture could transform the training of large language models (LLMs) – the technology behind artificial intelligence chatbots – as developers look for ways to scale models without simply adding more computing power. However, experts cautioned that while the approach could prove far-reaching, it might still prove difficult to put into practice. In a technical paper released last week, co-authored by DeepSeek founder and CEO Liang Wenfeng, the company proposed... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338763/deepseek-pitches-new-route-scale-ai-researchers-call-more-testing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338763/deepseek-pitches-new-route-scale-ai-researchers-call-more-testing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Hangzhou-based biotech start-up MindRank has progressed to Phase 3 clinical trials for its weight-loss drug, making it China’s first artificial intelligence-assisted Category 1 new drug to reach this stage. MindRank announced last month that it had initiated a Phase 3 clinical trial in China for MDR-001, a small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonists designed with the help of AI. GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic natural hormones to regulate blood sugar and appetite. According to Niu Zhangming, MindRank’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338618/mindrank-phase-3-trial-chinas-first-ai-assisted-new-drug-cutting-rd-costs-60?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338618/mindrank-phase-3-trial-chinas-first-ai-assisted-new-drug-cutting-rd-costs-60?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 02:00:16 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu DeepSeek’s latest technical paper, co-authored by the firm’s founder and CEO Liang Wenfeng, has been cited as a potential game changer in developing artificial intelligence models, as it could translate into improvements in the fundamental architecture of machine learning. The paper’s theme of Manifold-Constrained Hyper-Connections (mHC) marks an improvement to conventional hyper-connections and residual networks (ResNet), a fundamental mechanism underlying large language models (LLMs),... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338535/deepseek-proposes-shift-ai-model-development-mhc-architecture-upgrade-resnet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338535/deepseek-proposes-shift-ai-model-development-mhc-architecture-upgrade-resnet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:30:15 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Meta Platforms’ multibillion-dollar acquisition of Manus, a Chinese-founded artificial intelligence agent start-up, has set off a mix of excitement and unease in China’s tech circles, opening what some see as a new “cash-out” route for AI entrepreneurs beyond the traditional IPO playbook. Industry observers said the acquisition was made possible by two key developments: Manus’ progress in building a globally competitive general AI agent and the founders’ decision to relocate the business... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3338316/metas-multibillion-manus-buyout-draws-plaudits-raises-spectre-china-ai-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3338316/metas-multibillion-manus-buyout-draws-plaudits-raises-spectre-china-ai-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Top tech talent in China can expect lavish bonuses for 2025 as big tech firms from ByteDance to Tencent Holdings double down on efforts to retain and lure people with specialised skills in fields such as artificial intelligence. TikTok owner ByteDance expanded its bonus pool by 35 per cent from a year earlier, as well as increased the budget for pay rises by 150 per cent, according to Chinese media outlet The Paper. The company also lifted pay floors and ceilings across all job levels. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338168/chinas-tech-giants-offer-lavish-year-end-bonuses-amid-ai-talent-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338168/chinas-tech-giants-offer-lavish-year-end-bonuses-amid-ai-talent-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:00:15 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese household appliances maker Dreame Technology will present gifts of gold and a trip to Antarctica to employees, on top of their year-end bonuses, as the company boosted its position as one of the world’s leading vendors of robot vacuum cleaners. The additional largesse was revealed over the weekend by Dreame founder and CEO Yu Hao in two WeChat Moments posts. Yu said every employee will receive a one-gram gold bonus in addition to their standard year-end payout. The company also planned... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338029/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-gives-gifts-gold-and-trip-antarctica-employees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338029/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-gives-gifts-gold-and-trip-antarctica-employees?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Despite intense competition that has pushed one US company into bankruptcy, the global robotic vacuum cleaner market has plenty of room for growth given low penetration rates, according to Meng Jia, president of Dreame Technology’s robotic vacuum division. Meng anticipates steady growth for robotic vacuum sales over the next few years, noting that market penetration remains low – less than 10 per cent in China and under 20 per cent overseas. “The robotic vacuum category hasn’t fully realised its... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337817/robotic-vacuum-maker-dreame-says-untapped-global-demand-drive-next-phase-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337817/robotic-vacuum-maker-dreame-says-untapped-global-demand-drive-next-phase-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 23:00:16 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), the world’s largest maker of electric vehicle batteries, has partnered with semiconductor developer Unigroup Guoxin Microelectronics to form a new automotive chip firm in Beijing. CATL-owned Wending Investment, Guoxin Micro subsidiary Tongxin Micro and five affiliates have agreed to establish Tongxin Micro Technology with a registered capital of 300 million yuan (US$43 million), according to a Thursday filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. With its 153... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337844/chinese-ev-battery-giant-catl-and-guoxin-micro-set-new-automotive-chip-firm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337844/chinese-ev-battery-giant-catl-and-guoxin-micro-set-new-automotive-chip-firm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 13:00:15 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese humanoid robot maker UBTech Robotics is moving to lock down key manufacturing capacity, agreeing to pay nearly 1.7 billion yuan (US$237 million) in cash to take control of Shenzhen-listed mechanical component maker Zhejiang Fenglong as it pushes to scale up humanoid robot production. The two-stage deal will begin with UBTech acquiring a 29.99 per cent stake in Fenglong from existing shareholders for 1.16 billion yuan, followed by a voluntary partial offer to buy a further 13.02 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337708/ubtechs-us237-million-fenglong-deal-tightens-humanoid-robot-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337708/ubtechs-us237-million-fenglong-deal-tightens-humanoid-robot-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:00:16 +0000 Cao Li,Eunice Xu Cao Li,Eunice Xu Huawei Technologies in late November sold more than 10,000 units of its artificial intelligence toy, Smart Hanhan, in the first week of its release, as similar smart playthings seize a growing share of consumer spending worldwide. Shenzhen-based Huawei’s AI-powered emotional support plush toy, which costs 399 yuan (US$57), provides a user with interactive companionship via movement recognition, voice and touch. For example, when a user asks Smart Hanhan to count sheep, it often adds playful... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337606/chinas-ai-toy-boom-huawei-jdcom-ubtech-make-big-push-growing-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337606/chinas-ai-toy-boom-huawei-jdcom-ubtech-make-big-push-growing-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 03:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu DP Technology – the developer of a suite of AI tools used by researchers for work spanning drug design to battery development – has raised more than 800 million yuan (US$114 million) in Series C financing to expand research and development (R&D) and hire talent. The Beijing-based AI-for-Science (AI4S) start-up said on Wednesday that the round drew backing from a mix of state-linked and venture investors, including Fortune Venture Capital, Beijing Jingguorui Equity Investment Fund, Beijing... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3337648/ai-science-start-dp-technology-raises-us114-million-series-c-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3337648/ai-science-start-dp-technology-raises-us114-million-series-c-round?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 13:00:15 +0000 Eunice Xu,Coco Feng Eunice Xu,Coco Feng Short-video platform Kuaishou Technology reported a major cyberattack to the police after a breach on Monday evening allowed explicit content to flood high-traffic live rooms for more than an hour. Kuaishou’s live-streaming services were thrown into chaos at around 10pm when recommended feeds were inundated with explicit material, according to news website Sina. Viewership in some compromised rooms surged past 50,000 before the platform launched an emergency response. By 11.30pm, Kuaishou began... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337448/chinas-kuaishou-hit-breach-explicit-content-floods-live-streaming-rooms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337448/chinas-kuaishou-hit-breach-explicit-content-floods-live-streaming-rooms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 10:00:11 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu In a striking display of athletic robotics, six Unitree Robotics’ G1 humanoids successfully executed synchronised front flips while performing as backup dancers at a concert in Chengdu last Thursday, a feat that quickly went viral and drew international attention after Elon Musk labelled it “impressive” on social media. Dressed in shimmering silver tops and black leather pants, the robots performed choreography for the song “Open Fire” in synchronisation with pop star Wang Leehom and his human... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337320/unitree-g1-humanoids-go-viral-synchronised-backflip-and-impressive-musk-endorsement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337320/unitree-g1-humanoids-go-viral-synchronised-backflip-and-impressive-musk-endorsement?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:17:55 +0000 Julie Zhang,Eunice Xu Julie Zhang,Eunice Xu If pharmaceutical drug patents are an hourglass turned over on the day of approval – with the approaching loss of exclusivity known in the industry as the “patent cliff” – then Big Pharma is currently watching the final grains of sand slipping through the neck of the glass. At the bottom of the hourglass awaits an unforgiving world of generic and biosimilar competition. Between 2025 and 2030, the patent cliff is set to be one of the biggest since 2010 by revenue at risk, according to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337038/patent-cliffhanger-will-china-biotech-throw-big-pharma-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337038/patent-cliffhanger-will-china-biotech-throw-big-pharma-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese supercomputer maker Sugon has launched an advanced artificial intelligence infrastructure for data centres that is expected to rival similar high-performance platforms from Nvidia and Huawei Technologies. Beijing-based Sugon, listed in Shanghai as Dawning Information Industry, on Thursday unveiled its scaleX platform at an event in Kunshan, a city in eastern Jiangsu province. The company claimed that it was China’s first 10,000-card AI supercluster, designed to deliver in excess of 5... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337126/chinas-sugon-unveils-new-ai-infrastructure-rival-platforms-nvidia-and-huawei?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337126/chinas-sugon-unveils-new-ai-infrastructure-rival-platforms-nvidia-and-huawei?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:00:24 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China is expected to remain the world’s biggest buyer of semiconductor manufacturing equipment through 2027, as domestic chipmakers keep expanding capacity under Beijing’s push for greater tech self-sufficiency, according to a new industry report. Sustained investment across both mature-node and leading-edge processes would keep China the largest market for chipmaking tools until at least 2027, industry association SEMI said. Even so, the association expects the pace to ease, with sales... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3336933/china-remain-worlds-biggest-buyer-chipmaking-equipment-through-2027-semi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3336933/china-remain-worlds-biggest-buyer-chipmaking-equipment-through-2027-semi?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 23:00:11 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese robotics manufacturers are set to cement their dominance in the global smart vacuum market with Picea Robotics’ acquisition of Roomba maker iRobot, after the US firm’s proposed sale to Amazon.com last year fell through due to regulatory hurdles. China-based suppliers held the top five spots for worldwide smart robotic vacuum shipments in the first three quarters of 2025, led by Roborock with a 21.7 per cent market share, equal to 3.8 million units, according to data from research firm... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336770/china-cements-global-lead-smart-vacuums-picea-acquires-roomba-maker-irobot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336770/china-cements-global-lead-smart-vacuums-picea-acquires-roomba-maker-irobot?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu TikTok owner ByteDance is the top recruiter in China’s tech sector this year, while at the same time artificial intelligence-related job postings on the mainland have risen more than 500 per cent, according to a report by Maimai, China’s largest professional social networking platform. ByteDance dominated tech hiring between January and October, with a hiring index of 897, ahead of Meituan at 587 and Alibaba Group Holding at 407, while AI related job listings surged 543 per cent, the report... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336503/bytedance-dominates-chinas-tech-hiring-ai-talent-demand-surges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336503/bytedance-dominates-chinas-tech-hiring-ai-talent-demand-surges?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 23:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Alipay and artificial intelligence glasses maker Rokid have jointly unveiled a smart glasses payment solution on the Rokid Lingzhu AI development platform, giving developers an easy path to build payment functions into their applications. Based on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open-source standard that connects AI applications to external systems, the service allowed developers to easily integrate pre-built capabilities, such as receiving payments, by adding plug-ins, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336237/alipay-and-rokid-open-look-and-pay-smart-glasses-function-developers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336237/alipay-and-rokid-open-look-and-pay-smart-glasses-function-developers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese augmented reality start-up Xreal has teamed up with Google on Project Aura, a venture to launch artificial intelligence glasses powered by the Android XR operating system and Gemini AI next year, in a fresh example of Chinese capabilities in research and development. Project Aura, resembling a pair of thick sunglasses, was first announced at Google’s annual I/O developer conference in May. The device runs on Android XR, a unified platform for extended reality (XR) devices built through a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336055/chinas-xreal-power-googles-android-ai-glasses-smart-eyewear-demand-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3336055/chinas-xreal-power-googles-android-ai-glasses-smart-eyewear-demand-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Hong Kong tycoon Victor Fung Kwok-king former chairman of supply chain management conglomerate Fung Group, warned on Tuesday that consumers around the world will ultimately bear the cost of a de facto 20 per cent tariff in global trade. Speaking at the Global Supply Chain Business Summit 2025 held by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s Li & Fung Supply Chain Institute, the 80-year-old said the global trading environment was converging towards an average tariff rate of about 20... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3335788/supply-chain-guru-victor-fung-warns-20-tax-tariffs-reshape-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3335788/supply-chain-guru-victor-fung-warns-20-tax-tariffs-reshape-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:00:17 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Home appliance maker Midea Group has developed MIRO U, a six-armed industrial humanoid robot scheduled to be deployed at its Wuxi washing machine plant by the end of this month. Speaking at the launch event last week, Midea’s chief technology officer Wei Chang said the “super humanoid” was a potential driver of industrial efficiency. The robot was expected to improve production line changeover efficiency by 30 per cent once it begins operating at the facility in Wuxi city, southern Jiangsu... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3335721/chinese-home-appliance-giant-midea-unveils-six-arm-robot-factory-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3335721/chinese-home-appliance-giant-midea-unveils-six-arm-robot-factory-work?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:59:48 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s open-source artificial intelligence models accounted for nearly 30 per cent of total global use of the technology, while Chinese-language prompts ranked second in token volume behind English, according to a report. This year’s surge in open-source large language model (LLM) usage around the world had been fuelled by Chinese-developed systems, including Alibaba Group Holding’s Qwen family of models, DeepSeek’s V3 and Moonshot AI’s Kimi K2, according to a recently published report by... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3335602/chinas-open-source-models-make-30-global-ai-usage-led-qwen-and-deepseek?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3335602/chinas-open-source-models-make-30-global-ai-usage-led-qwen-and-deepseek?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:30:07 +0000