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A robot stands in fighting position during the Beyond Expo technology exhibition in Macau on May 29, 2026. Photo: AFP

Tech

China just beat Nvidia on a global robotics ranking. Is a new tech war brewing?

Spirit AI says its foundation model for embodied intelligence is the first from China to top the RoboArena global leaderboard.

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Want to save the planet? Stop being so polite to AI chatbots

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Hong Kong unveils HKGAI-V3 model built on domestic tech and DeepSeek V4

Tech

Order coffee, book a flight, buy a burger: Alibaba broadens Qwen’s reach

As Tencent prepares a rival WeChat agent, Alibaba is moving quickly to turn Qwen from a chatbot into a digital concierge for everyday life.

The latest upgrade to Alibaba’s Qwen platform brings consumer brands into its AI ecosystem, challenging rivals including Tencent in the battle for China’s next digital gateway. Photo: Shutterstock
The latest upgrade to Alibaba’s Qwen platform brings consumer brands into its AI ecosystem, challenging rivals including Tencent in the battle for China’s next digital gateway. Photo: Shutterstock

Policy

Trump signs looser AI order amid China competition concerns

The US government will get 30 days, instead of 90, to review new AI models under voluntary guidelines approved by President Donald Trump.

Big Tech

China’s DeepSeek nears US$7 billion haul in first-ever funding round

DeepSeek’s founder and CEO Liang Wenfeng is reportedly committing around 20 billion yuan of his own capital.

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Big Tech

ByteDance thinks its Doubao AI is worth paying for. Are China’s users buying it?

The tech giant’s paywall gamble may have backfired after teasing its paid-subscription options for flagship chatbot Doubao saw users bolt.

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ByteDance’s decision to introduce a paywall for its flagship chatbot Doubao saw it lose 6.1 million users and could risk the tech giant’s lead in China’s fierce artificial intelligence race, according to analysts. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
ByteDance’s decision to introduce a paywall for its flagship chatbot Doubao saw it lose 6.1 million users and could risk the tech giant’s lead in China’s fierce artificial intelligence race, according to analysts. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Big Tech

How Meituan’s US$1b bets on AI, robotics outshine quarterly loss

Investment windfall provides cushion as core-business margins face intense pressure from battle with Alibaba Group Holding and JD.com.

Tech Trends

Hong Kong commits US$383 million to university spin-offs in tech hub push

Launched in October 2023, the scheme requires university teams to successfully commercialise their R&D outcomes within five years.

Big Tech

Alibaba elevates tech chief Wu Zeming to elite committee amid AI push

Wu joins Jack Ma and Joe Tsai in committee of five overseeing group that steers company’s strategy.

A visitor walks in front of an Alibaba booth during the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on July 18, 2025. Photo: AP Photo

Policy

Mainland Chinese locked out of Computex Taipei amid cross-strait tensions

Two travel agencies specialising in cross-strait travel say none of their clients have received entry-permit approvals this year.

Visitors view Nvidia’s AI Factory MGX Ecosystem display during Computex in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
Visitors view Nvidia’s AI Factory MGX Ecosystem display during Computex in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

China Business

Why Hong Kong is now the launch pad for mainland China’s AI champions

City emerges as a price-discovery hub, with mainland AI firms reversing a decades-old dual-listing order to secure global benchmarks.

Policy

China boosts trade-war toolkit with cross-border investment overhaul

Unifying and strengthening cross-border investment rules will help China fight potential trade wars with the US and Europe.

Big Tech

ByteDance loses key AI research leader behind Seed models

Gu Quanquan helped oversee the tech giant’s release of its latest flagship AI model, Seed 2.0.

ByteDance's Doubao has grown to be China's most popular consumer AI app with around 336 million monthly active users. Photo: Shutterstock

Policy

China’s new outbound investment rules

SCMP Plus annotates new investment rules released by China’s State Council in the wake of the high-profile Nexperia dispute and Meta’s aborted acquisition of Manus.

China’s new outbound investment rules

Tech Trends

Huawei to ship more units as price surges dent China’s smartphone sales: report

As higher memory prices raise costs for China’s handset makers, a research firm predicted Huawei would be the only domestic brand to increase shipments.

Big Tech

Tencent shares jump 10% on expectations of AI agent within WeChat

An AI agent would leverage the app’s ecosystem of mini-programs, payments, content and commerce for 1.4 billion users.

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Tech War

A cloud above the clouds: US, China jockey for position in computing space race

China could be a leading player in the new technological battlefield, but the US has a substantial lead in essential tools such as reusable rockets.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Illustration: Henry Wong

Tech

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

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Big Tech

As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

Western competitors like GoPro face shrinking footprints as strategic shifts of Chinese firms disrupt the status quo while navigating FCC-led national security bans.

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Blockchain

Has Hong Kong laid the groundwork to become a world-leading crypto hub?

With its regulatory clarity and superconnector edge, the city is drawing global crypto firms as it emerges as a premier Web3 hub.

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Illustration by Lau Ka-kuen
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China Future Tech
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
China Future Tech

United States & Canada

US takes step to halt Nvidia AI chip shipments to Chinese overseas subsidiaries

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The Nvidia headquarters in Santa Clara, California. Photo: Getty Images / TNS

Tech

China just beat Nvidia on a global robotics ranking. Is a new tech war brewing?

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A robot stands in fighting position during the Beyond Expo technology exhibition in Macau on May 29, 2026. Photo: AFP

Tech

Want to save the planet? Stop being so polite to AI chatbots

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A report from the Institute for Water, Environment and Health under the United Nations University says that vast amounts of electricity are being wasted saying “please” and “thank you” to AI chatbots. Illustration: Shutterstock

Tech Trends

Hong Kong unveils HKGAI-V3 model built on domestic tech and DeepSeek V4

Guo Yike, provost of HKUST and director of HKGAI, delivers remarks at the launch event on Wednesday. Photo: Dickson Lee

China Economy

How China plans to turn the AI computing boom into a new financial market

A view of Lujiazui, Shanghai’s premier financial district, on May 18. Photo: EPA
MORE IN China Future Tech
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OPINION
Jeffrey Wu

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The View | Energy crisis showcases strengths of China’s data centre market

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Opinion | World may find itself ‘in a very Chinese time’ of data governance

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MULTIMEDIA
Video

Are we on the verge of another nuclear age?

Thumbnail for DeepDive video: Are we on the verge of another nuclear age?
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China’s Unitree unveils manned mecha

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What is this robot at the Met Gala?

Met Gala robot wows on the red carpet
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Hangzhou’s ‘robocops’ direct tourist traffic

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