Technology News
Latest technology news and updates
Total: 656
China’s Provinces Race for a ¥10-trillion AI Prize — 31 Regions, 31 Strategies
Beijing, Shanghai and all 29 other Chinese provinces have incorporated AI into their 2026 work plans as Beijing aims to anchor research and standards, Shanghai leverages strategic capital, and manufacturing provinces pursue application-led upgrades. The country’s objective to grow AI‑related industries to more than ¥10 trillion has produced a differentiated national push that blends metropolitan R&D, financial instruments, factory automation and regional niche plays.
China Bets Big on Beidou: From Phone Maps to Driverless Cars and a Trillion‑Yuan Industry
China’s NDRC has announced a major push to expand Beidou satellite navigation into consumer and industrial applications, targeting more than 1 trillion yuan in industry scale within five years after estimating 620 billion yuan by 2025. The programme prioritises autonomous driving, the low‑altitude aerial economy and intelligent robotics as arenas where Beidou will provide high‑precision positioning, emergency communications and multi‑agent coordination.
Hisense Chairman Urges State 'Intelligent‑Agent' Platforms as AI Shifts to Industrial Deployment; Humanoid Robots Still Years from the Home
Hisense chairman Jia Shaoqian told China’s Two Sessions that AI is transitioning from hype to industrial application and urged the state to build shared “intelligent‑agent” platforms and an industrial knowledge base to convert tacit factory know‑how into actionable assets. He cautioned that humanoid robots remain immature for household use and recommended measured, demand‑led investment rather than chasing short‑term hype.
BMW Tests Humanoid Robots in Leipzig Using a Chinese ‘Dexterous Hand’ — A Milestone for China’s Robotics Exports
BMW is trialling Swedish AEON humanoid robots in its Leipzig plant for high‑voltage battery assembly, using an electric adaptive gripper supplied by Chinese firm Dahuan. The deployment is a technical and commercial test with broader implications for global robotics supply chains and the international acceptance of Chinese industrial components.
Meta’s AI Glasses Send Intimate Footage to Human Reviewers, Sparking Privacy Alarm
Human contractors in Kenya have reportedly viewed private videos captured by Meta’s AI smart glasses, including footage of non-users and sensitive personal data. Meta says its terms allow third-party review and that it uses filtering and redaction, but imperfect protections and policy changes that favour default camera activation have prompted regulatory scrutiny in the UK and wider concern about consumer trust.
Lei Jun Predicts 'True' Driverless Cars in Limited Zones Within Five Years — and Urges Rules to Catch Up
Xiaomi founder Lei Jun said genuinely driverless vehicles can be realised in some limited environments within five years, while urging China to tighten driving tests, punish misuse of L2 systems, and clarify safety rules for L3/L4 automation. His remarks reflect both industry optimism and the need for regulatory catch‑up as manufacturers prepare for constrained commercial deployments.
Magic Atom Rebuilds Its Technical Bench as Robot Startup Moves from Showpiece to Scale-up
Magic Atom has restructured its senior technical leadership to accelerate the commercialization of its humanoid and quadruped robots. The appointments strengthen capabilities in embodied intelligence, data pipelines and manufacturing as the company transitions from high‑profile demonstrations to scaled production and market expansion.
China Announces Push for AI Mega‑Compute, Satellite Internet and Nuclear Fusion in New Wave of State Megaprojects
At a March 6 economic briefing, NDRC director Zheng Zhanjie announced China will accelerate major projects in ultra‑large AI computing, satellite internet and controlled nuclear fusion as part of a broader push for strategic, high‑investment industries. The plans signal Beijing’s intent to marshal state and market resources behind technologies deemed essential for long‑term economic and strategic independence.
From Villa Workshop to Spring Gala: The Rise and Risks of a Chinese Humanoid Robot Start‑Up
Songyan Power, founded by Tsinghua dropout Jiang Zheyuan, rose from a rented villa prototype to national prominence after viral demos and a spring‑festival appearance, securing over RMB2bn in funding. The company’s pivot from MPC to deep reinforcement learning and a sub‑RMB10,000 consumer robot have driven momentum, but serious technical, supply‑chain and cash‑management risks remain.
BYD's 'Flash Charge' Push: 5-Minute Top-Ups, 1.5MW Chargers and a Plan for 20,000 Stations
BYD announced a second‑generation Blade battery and a megawatt‑class "flash‑charge" system that it says can charge from 10% to 70% in five minutes and to 97% in nine minutes, with only a small penalty at minus 30°C. The company pairs the technical claims with a plan to build 20,000 flash‑charge stations across China this year and offers one year of free flash charging to owners of vehicles with the new battery.
Alibaba Rejects Claims of AI Team Exodus after Executive Departure, Says Services Unaffected
Alibaba has denied that its large-model AI team collectively resigned, stressing team stability, normal service operation, and that it has not imposed commercial KPIs. The clarification followed the resignation of a senior figure and reflects broader tensions in China’s AI talent market between research freedom and pressure to monetise.
Google Pivots to Robotics as a Long‑Term Bet — Chinese Robot ETF and Suppliers Rally
Google has elevated robotics to one of three long‑term growth engines, prompting a rally in China’s Robot ETF (159770) and several supplier stocks. The ETF has seen meaningful asset and share growth over the past year, reflecting investor interest in a sector moving from research to industrial deployment.