https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/330123/feed Asia's newest big ideas in the world of technology. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Zhang Tong,Ann Cao Zhang Tong,Ann Cao China opened a top-level optical computing laboratory in Shanghai in June after a string of breakthroughs in the field that could help get around US curbs on its development of artificial intelligence (AI). A decade after optical computing and next-generation photonics were made national priorities, China last year began limited production of locally designed photonic chips. These transmit and process data using photons – particles of light generated by lasers – whereas silicon chips such as the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3358319/could-chinas-photonic-chips-help-it-leapfrog-us-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3358319/could-chinas-photonic-chips-help-it-leapfrog-us-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:01:07 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Alibaba Group delivered its strongest defence yet of an “all in” artificial intelligence strategy on Thursday, with chairman Joe Tsai arguing that AI could ultimately represent a US$50 trillion market and vowing to invest across the industry’s entire value chain rather than bet on a single winner. Speaking at the VivaTech technology conference in Paris, Tsai said Alibaba was pursuing a “full-stack” strategy spanning chips, cloud infrastructure, foundation models and consumer applications,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3357729/were-all-alibabas-joe-tsai-makes-biggest-ai-push-yet-vivatech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3357729/were-all-alibabas-joe-tsai-makes-biggest-ai-push-yet-vivatech?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:24:35 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Fuelled by excessive spending on artificial intelligence-linked commodities and computing capacity, AI infrastructure investment has become a global bubble that is unlikely to burst in 2026 or 2027, according to Viktor Shvets, head of global and Asia-Pacific strategy at Macquarie Group. “There are many parts of AI … from the underlying technologies to infrastructure – the things that are going to run on the back of the infrastructure of models; automation, quantum computing, biotech, gene... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3354118/ai-infrastructure-investment-bubble-unlikely-burst-2027-macquarie?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3354118/ai-infrastructure-investment-bubble-unlikely-burst-2027-macquarie?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:04 +0000 Reuters Reuters Singapore’s Grab reported first-quarter profit that exceeded analysts’ estimates, helped by resilient demand for ride hailing and delivery in a market rattled by economic and political challenges. Southeast Asia’s biggest ride-hailing and delivery firm has been trying to boost spending on its platform by incorporating artificial-intelligence features into its superapp and bundling its core ride-hailing, delivery and financial services. With oil and gas prices soaring due to the war in the Middle... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352424/ai-helps-singapores-grab-woo-tough-southeast-asian-crowd-exceed-expectations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352424/ai-helps-singapores-grab-woo-tough-southeast-asian-crowd-exceed-expectations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 01:11:06 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao As the artificial intelligence race moves beyond language models into the physical world, Asia’s manufacturing and supply chain strengths could give it an edge over the US, says Granite Asia’s Jixun Foo. The veteran venture capitalist said the current wave of AI development, sparked by breakthroughs in foundation models over the past two years, had entered a new phase where physical applications – from robotics to industrial automation – were becoming increasingly important, playing to Asia’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3350609/asias-supply-chain-strengths-could-give-it-edge-over-us-ai-race-granite-asias-foo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3350609/asias-supply-chain-strengths-could-give-it-edge-over-us-ai-race-granite-asias-foo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 06:00:18 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Asia’s technology industry is bracing for longer and deeper disruptions from the Middle East turmoil as analysts warn that prolonged hostilities could throttle semiconductor production and the buildout of artificial intelligence data centres. The Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a quarter of global seaborne crude oil trade and 20 per cent of liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, remained effectively closed after US President Donald Trump said he would block the channel following the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3349895/how-prolonged-iran-war-could-disrupt-asia-tech-industry-chipmaking-ai-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3349895/how-prolonged-iran-war-could-disrupt-asia-tech-industry-chipmaking-ai-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Having electrified its highways, China is mobilising its shipbuilding prowess and battery giants such as CATL to overhaul some shipping fleets, betting that the revolution in green transport can float as well as it drives. The shift towards clean energy underscores Beijing’s broader decarbonisation commitment – vowing to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve neutrality by 2060. These goals have spurred substantial strides in renewable capacity installation, end-use revamps, new technology... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3344150/china-amps-electric-ships-push-decarbonise-waterways-leverage-ev-prowess?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3344150/china-amps-electric-ships-push-decarbonise-waterways-leverage-ev-prowess?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 08:00:15 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese household appliances maker Dreame Technology unveiled more than 20 new artificial intelligence-embedded products at this year’s CES trade show in Las Vegas, showing a glimpse of the future when smart devices would run almost all chores in a house. Those formed part of more than 150 products that Dreame, one of the world’s top five vendors of robot vacuum cleaners, exhibited at the four-day trade show that concludes this Friday. Dreame’s new “AI-powered whole-home smart ecosystem”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3339228/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-bets-ai-driven-appliances-run-household-chores?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3339228/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-bets-ai-driven-appliances-run-household-chores?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 01:00:18 +0000 Patrick Winter Patrick Winter The “AI Plus” strategy emerging from China’s State Council, which promotes artificial intelligence teaching across all levels of education, comes amid reports that AI classes are now compulsory for primary and secondary schools in Hangzhou. These show a new urgency attaching to AI talent development. Asia is becoming a leader in upskilling workers for an AI-driven world. In a region of ageing societies, there is perhaps no greater economic imperative than ensuring that all workforce demographics... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3337495/asia-needs-ai-talent-fuel-its-future-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3337495/asia-needs-ai-talent-fuel-its-future-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow When Washington unveiled its “Pax Silica” initiative earlier this month, the absence of countries like India and Vietnam spoke almost as loudly as the presence of Japan, South Korea and Singapore. The message? America’s new vision for the AI supply chain will begin with only its most trusted hands. The Pax Silica Declaration, signed at a summit held in the United States on December 12-13, brought together a carefully chosen group as founding signatories. Alongside the host nation and its East... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337104/pax-silica-americas-new-ai-inner-circle-and-asias-chosen-few?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337104/pax-silica-americas-new-ai-inner-circle-and-asias-chosen-few?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:12 +0000 Zhang Zhipeng Zhang Zhipeng The global artificial intelligence community’s attention was recently focused on DeepSeek’s latest open-source model, Math-V2, the first open-source AI model to score a gold medal-level performance at the International Mathematical Olympiad. But while California might hone in on the test scores, Jakarta and Nairobi are looking at something else entirely. For the Global South, the critical question is more likely to be whether that reasoning capability can optimise fertiliser distribution in a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3335420/global-south-chinese-ai-principles-resonate-deeply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3335420/global-south-chinese-ai-principles-resonate-deeply?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 01:30:19 +0000 Hamzah Rifaat Hamzah Rifaat Western analysts often frame automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics as an existential threat to workers, with the risk of impending unemployment potentially triggering economic unrest. However, 74 per cent of all industrial robots deployed last year were in Asia, where they do not appear to be replacing workers but are instead redefining roles amid innovative modes for production and higher efficiency. As digital factories become ubiquitous, countries such as Vietnam and China are... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3335106/does-ais-rise-have-mean-job-losses-east-asia-tells-different-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3335106/does-ais-rise-have-mean-job-losses-east-asia-tells-different-story?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 01:30:09 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Jigang Group spent decades forging the metal for China’s infrastructure boom. Now, the former industrial titan is building hardware for the final frontier. The state-owned company, once one of the nation’s top steel producers, has secured orders for its first two satellites – an all-important step in its years-long transformation to capture demand in the country’s burgeoning commercial space industry. Reporting this week on the purchase, the Economic Observer said production was expected to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3335364/steel-space-china-giant-sells-first-2-satellites-bold-pivot-bears-fruit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3335364/steel-space-china-giant-sells-first-2-satellites-bold-pivot-bears-fruit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:45:36 +0000 Avi Jorisch Avi Jorisch History rarely announces its turning points. More often, we wake up to find that the world we assumed was fixed has begun to shift beneath our feet. That is happening now. Artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and space infrastructure are advancing at a pace that stretches our political instincts – even our imagination. Each is transformative on its own. Together, they are becoming the new architecture of global power, an engine that will determine which nations shape the century ahead... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3333993/how-ai-quantum-and-space-technologies-will-define-asian-century?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3333993/how-ai-quantum-and-space-technologies-will-define-asian-century?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro In global stock markets, worries about the economic damage from US President Donald Trump’s tariff blitz seem like a distant memory. The overriding concern in the past few months has been the threat of a bubble in artificial intelligence (AI). In Bank of America’s latest monthly global fund manager survey, an AI equity bubble was cited as the top “tail risk”, posing a bigger threat than the resurgence of inflation. Although various factors are at play, the issue that most perturbs investors is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3333044/ai-fuelled-data-centre-bubble-making-not-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3333044/ai-fuelled-data-centre-bubble-making-not-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:30:11 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese artificial intelligence models DeepSeek and Qwen have surged ahead of Western rivals, including GPT, with returns exceeding 100 per cent in just nine days during an ongoing real-market cryptocurrency trading competition. DeepSeek’s Chat V3.1 model grew its initial capital of US$10,000 to US$22,500 by 4pm on Monday – a 125 per cent gain since trading began on October 18 – according to the latest update from Alpha Arena, a crypto investment project launched by US research firm Nof1. Qwen 3... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3330461/deepseek-and-qwen-ai-models-crush-western-rivals-cryptocurrency-trading-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3330461/deepseek-and-qwen-ai-models-crush-western-rivals-cryptocurrency-trading-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 09:00:24 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A Chinese biotech firm that soared more than 4,500 per cent in the three months since its Hong Kong debut, has stoked fears of a speculative bubble in China healthcare stocks. Shares of TransThera Sciences soared as much as 64 per cent to HK$679.50 in Hong Kong trading on Tuesday, after pricing at just HK$13.15 in late June – a more than 50-fold gain that has made it the top performer on the Hang Seng Healthcare Index this year. TransThera noted the “unusual movements” in its share price in an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3325720/chinese-healthcare-stock-soars-4500-amid-fears-biotech-bubble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3325720/chinese-healthcare-stock-soars-4500-amid-fears-biotech-bubble?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:49:29 +0000 Syed Munir Khasru Syed Munir Khasru The revival of techno-nationalism is reshaping strategies across continents. The European Union has embraced technological sovereignty with the EU Chips Act and investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technology. Japan and South Korea are diversifying supply chains and boosting domestic capacity. India is positioning itself as an alternative hub through the Make in India and Digital India initiatives, aimed at reducing reliance on both China and the West. Export controls,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3323778/techno-nationalism-now-critical-battlefront-geopolitics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3323778/techno-nationalism-now-critical-battlefront-geopolitics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Huawei Technologies has launched new memory products that can improve the efficiency of artificial intelligence (AI) computing, in the company’s latest effort to double down on its hardware business. The three “AI solid-state drive (SSD)” products – OceanDisk EX 560, OceanDisk SP 560 and OceanDisk LC 560 – are aimed at solving bottlenecks faced by data centres in AI training and inference, including slow inference speed and limited data capacity, the company said at a launch event in Shanghai on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3323391/tech-war-huawei-unveils-drive-storage-products-help-ai-computing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3323391/tech-war-huawei-unveils-drive-storage-products-help-ai-computing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:36:25 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Ant International, Standard Chartered Bank and the Swift system said on Wednesday they were collaborating on a global cross-border remittance service that allowed direct transfers from overseas banks to users’ home wallet apps, backed by Alipay+. The programme’s live trials are limited to Standard Chartered Bank accounts and allow participants to send cash to 36 digital wallets around the world operated by Alipay+, a cross-border payment product run by Ant International. Most of its customers... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3323336/ant-international-and-standard-chartered-partner-cross-border-remittance-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3323336/ant-international-and-standard-chartered-partner-cross-border-remittance-service?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Billy Huang Billy Huang As Tencent unveiled a dozen artificial intelligence (AI) agents at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, one name was conspicuously absent: Manus. Once a rising star in China’s AI scene, Manus has since relocated its headquarters to Singapore, quietly stepping out of the mainland spotlight just as Big Tech players from Tencent to ByteDance rush to fill the void. The timing is not coincidental. Manus’ departure didn’t trigger fireworks, but it did mark a turning point. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3320594/manus-leaving-china-reflects-tough-balancing-act-amid-geopolitical-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3320594/manus-leaving-china-reflects-tough-balancing-act-amid-geopolitical-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Aug 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Every quarter, MSCI publishes a ranking of the most actively traded cities in Asia’s commercial property investment market. As recently as 2022, the most widely traded metropolises included major capitals such as Tokyo and Seoul, as well as leading cities such as Shanghai and Sydney. Fast forward to 2024 and the ranking was more diverse. Chiba, the prefecture just east of Tokyo, and Osaka, Japan’s third-biggest city, were among the top 10 for the whole of last year. Moreover, in the first... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3320636/why-osaka-bengaluru-and-johor-are-overlooked-drivers-asia-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3320636/why-osaka-bengaluru-and-johor-are-overlooked-drivers-asia-property?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Aug 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin A strange thing happened when a team of scientists folded a series of ultra-thin sheets of graphene in their laboratory in China. The researchers from the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics found that friction did not increase as the material got thicker. In fact, some of the thicker folds slid more easily. The revelation was a bonus for the team – not only had they become the first to directly observe friction between solid materials at the quantum level, they had seen something that could... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3319438/first-chinese-team-captures-rare-quantum-friction-effect-folded-graphene?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3319438/first-chinese-team-captures-rare-quantum-friction-effect-folded-graphene?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 02:00:15 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Quantum computing is poised to reach a tipping point in three to five years by becoming useful for solving real-world problems, as computers harnessing about 500 qubits become a reality, according to Chinese start-up SpinQ. Founded in 2018 and based in Shenzhen, SpinQ has two main product lines: small-scale nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) quantum computers with about three qubits for educational use and industrial-grade superconducting quantum computers with up to 20 qubits. In 2020, SpinQ... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/investor-relations/article/3318895/chinas-spinq-sees-quantum-computing-crossing-usefulness-threshold-within-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/investor-relations/article/3318895/chinas-spinq-sees-quantum-computing-crossing-usefulness-threshold-within-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:14 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese smartphone and car maker Xiaomi has moved up the launch of its latest electric vehicle (EV) model amid strong consumer interest in the SUV, which is seen as a potential challenger to the dominance of Tesla’s Model Y. Sales of the YU7, the Beijing-based company’s second production model, would start at the end of this month instead of in July as previously planned, founder and CEO Lei Jun said in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Monday. “We are making the preparations, and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3314580/chinese-evs-xiaomi-accelerates-launch-tesla-model-y-rival-yu7-citing-strong-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3314580/chinese-evs-xiaomi-accelerates-launch-tesla-model-y-rival-yu7-citing-strong-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 07:00:08 +0000 Zhou Xin,Coco Feng Zhou Xin,Coco Feng Ren Zhengfei, founder and chief executive of Chinese telecommunications equipment giant Huawei Technologies, said the company’s Ascend chips still lag behind those from the US “by a generation”, but state-of-the-art performance can still be achieved by using other methods. In a front page interview published on Tuesday by the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, Ren said by using methods like “stacking and clustering, the computing results are comparable” to the most advanced... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3313779/tech-war-huawei-founder-ren-says-state-art-chip-performance-can-be-achieved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3313779/tech-war-huawei-founder-ren-says-state-art-chip-performance-can-be-achieved?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 02:36:34 +0000 Jeffrey Wu Jeffrey Wu In just two months, we’ve had news that US venture capital company Andreessen Horowitz is reportedly launching a US$20 billion megafund to invest in artificial intelligence (AI) and Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL) completed a US$5.2 billion initial public offering (IPO) – the world’s largest this year and a major boost to Hong Kong’s subdued markets. But behind these headlines, venture funding across Asia fell to just US$65.8 billion last year, its lowest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3312938/geopolitics-hits-venture-capital-asia-must-start-funding-its-own-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3312938/geopolitics-hits-venture-capital-asia-must-start-funding-its-own-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jun 2025 08:30:07 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings There was an elephant in the showroom at this year’s Computex Taipei tech expo. Loud speakers boomed the guttural sounds of action games loud enough to be heard across dozens of booths, where blazing white lights glinted off the thin black edges of new microprocessors on display. Some of the show’s 86,521 prospective buyers tried out AI-enabled laptops with 3D displays – visible without special glasses – screening a country lane in Japan one moment, a complicated colon surgery the next. And... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3312466/trade-war-elephant-showroom-computex-taipei-asias-biggest-tech-expo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3312466/trade-war-elephant-showroom-computex-taipei-asias-biggest-tech-expo?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 May 2025 03:00:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters Vodafone Idea has gone to India’s Supreme Court to challenge the government’s rejection of a request by the debt-saddled telecoms giant to waive more than US$5 billion it owes the government, documents show. The government on April 29 rejected the request by Vodafone Idea CEO Akshaya Moondra for a waiver on interest and penalties it owes on US$9.76 billion in dues, saying the survival of India’s third-largest telecoms player was at risk, according to the letter seen by journalists on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3310811/vodafone-idea-seeks-relief-us5-billion-dues-india-following-court-rejection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3310811/vodafone-idea-seeks-relief-us5-billion-dues-india-following-court-rejection?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 May 2025 08:37:02 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese robotaxi company Pony.ai is teaming up with US ride-sharing services provider Uber Technologies to launch driverless taxis in the Middle East later this year, as the auto industry’s push for autonomous driving gains momentum. The two companies will first deploy Pony.ai’s robotaxis on Uber’s platform in a key market in the region, according to a joint statement on Tuesday, which did not specify any specific country. There are plans for expansion in more international markets, it added... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3309296/ponyai-uber-offer-robotaxis-middle-east-push-new-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3309296/ponyai-uber-offer-robotaxis-middle-east-push-new-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 12:15:07 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Global emissions from electricity consumption tied to artificial intelligence (AI) chip manufacturing surged last year, driven by heavy reliance on fossil fuels in Asia’s leading production technology hubs, according to Greenpeace East Asia. Electricity consumption for AI chip production more than tripled to about 984 gigawatt hours (GWh), resulting in a fourfold increase to 453,600 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, Greenpeace said in a report on Thursday. Major hubs like Taiwan, South... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/climate-and-energy/article/3305718/emissions-ai-chip-plants-jump-fourfold-asia-banks-dirty-fuels-greenpeace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/climate-and-energy/article/3305718/emissions-ai-chip-plants-jump-fourfold-asia-banks-dirty-fuels-greenpeace?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:00:13 +0000 Chinese companies are gearing up to redefine the future of transport, betting big on flying cars and robotaxis as competition in the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) market intensifies. Premium EV maker Xpeng will invest 3 billion yuan (US$413 million) in the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft business this year, as the company sees flying cars a bigger industry than EVs over the next two decades, CEO He Xiaopeng said at the China EV100 forum in Beijing on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3304411/xpeng-bets-big-flying-cars-us413-million-investment-new-guangzhou-factory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3304411/xpeng-bets-big-flying-cars-us413-million-investment-new-guangzhou-factory?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Mar 2025 07:51:38 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Alibaba Group Holding chairman Joe Tsai is raising some alarm bells on global tech investments to support advances in artificial intelligence (AI) services, citing a possible bubble in speculative bets on data-centre construction as an example. A rush among global tech leaders and investment funds into infrastructure projects to support AI’s computational, storage and energy needs is worrisome, he said at the HSBC Global Investment Summit in Hong Kong on Tuesday. “I start to see the beginning of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3303769/some-ai-related-bets-are-speculative-and-creating-bubble-alibabas-tsai-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3303769/some-ai-related-bets-are-speculative-and-creating-bubble-alibabas-tsai-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2025 06:35:52 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Artificial intelligence (AI) advances are fuelling a funding frenzy for data centres in Asia, spawning a series of record-breaking loans and filling the pipeline with even more potential deals. In the span of a week, two major Asian data-centre operators secured their biggest-ever loans, partly earmarked for the expansion of their operations in Malaysia, which is becoming a hub for these facilities. The deals underscore the industry’s appeal in attracting a range of investors – from banks to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3303564/ai-boom-drives-record-loans-data-centres-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3303564/ai-boom-drives-record-loans-data-centres-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 02:17:24 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Xiaomi has raised its full-year target for electric vehicle (EV) deliveries by 16 per cent on the back of strong demand after reporting solid financial results for last year, underpinning confidence among market bulls who drove its stock to an all-time high this week. The EV maker on Tuesday lifted its target to 350,000 from 300,000 units for this year, after stepping up production to compete in the luxury end of the EV market in rivalry with BYD, Geely Auto and other makers. “Xiaomi has been... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3302872/xiaomi-lifts-ev-deliveries-target-16-after-solid-gains-2024-results?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3302872/xiaomi-lifts-ev-deliveries-target-16-after-solid-gains-2024-results?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 11:07:40 +0000 PostMag meets five women who are at the top of their game and pushing the boundaries of scientific and technological discovery in Hong Kong. Here, editor Cat Nelson talks to Florence Chan, co-founder and CEO of AI Guided; Angela Wu, a professor at HKUST’s division of life science and department of chemical and biological engineering; Wendy Lam, founder of EzyGreenPak; Gina Jiang, managing director of the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology; and Megan Lam, co-founder of Neurum Health. Wendy Lam:... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/passions/article/3301395/women-stem-round-table-bias-barriers-and-breakthroughs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/passions/article/3301395/women-stem-round-table-bias-barriers-and-breakthroughs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 06:00:21 +0000 At a university laboratory in Tokyo, a life-size robot leans over a man lying on his back. The machine gently puts one hand on the man’s knee and the other on his shoulder and rolls him slowly onto his side. The AI-driven Robot for Embrace and Care (AIREC) was designed by a team of researchers at Waseda University to carry out tasks such as changing diapers or performing movements to prevent sores among bedridden elderly people or patients in critical care. Japan’s shrinking working-age... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3300818/ageing-japan-turns-ai-robots-care-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3300818/ageing-japan-turns-ai-robots-care-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 07:00:06 +0000 Like it or not, Christie’s “Augmented Intelligence” sale, which runs on to March 5, marks a major milestone in the world of art. It is the first time a major auction house is selling an entire art collection created with artificial intelligence (AI). Major auction houses have dabbled in AI art in the past. In 2018, Christie’s auctioned Edmond de Belamy, a portrait of a blurry male figure generated by an algorithm, for US$432,500. Last year, A.I. God, a portrait of English mathematician Alan... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3300118/rather-resist-ai-art-asia-embracing-its-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3300118/rather-resist-ai-art-asia-embracing-its-future?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Feb 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone maker that has made a successful charge into electric vehicles (EVs), entered the luxury segment of that market on Thursday with the official launch of the SU7 Ultra, its most premium model so far. The company set the price of the four-door sedan, first unveiled in April, at 529,900 yuan (US$72,929), 35 per cent less than the 814,900 yuan quoted when presales began in October. The Ultra edition is equipped with Xiaomi’s Hyper-Autonomous Driving (HAD) technology, a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3300428/xiaomi-enters-chinas-luxury-car-market-us112000-su7-ultra-ev?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3300428/xiaomi-enters-chinas-luxury-car-market-us112000-su7-ultra-ev?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Feb 2025 12:47:28 +0000 Following the emergence of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek, the nation’s rapid AI developments are sending shock waves through China’s job market, with companies already planning lay-offs as automation takes over repetitive tasks. Young jobseekers are being forced to rethink their prospects amid a rapidly changing landscape and a slowing economy, as AI reshapes employment opportunities while also giving rise to new roles in technology and innovation, according to a labour... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3298721/are-chinas-ai-advancements-double-edged-sword-hanging-over-already-dire-job-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3298721/are-chinas-ai-advancements-double-edged-sword-hanging-over-already-dire-job-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Feb 2025 06:00:20 +0000 The new US administration under President Donald Trump with a focus on Make America Great Again has triggered uncertainty among Indian tech workers who reportedly are not travelling out of the country in case a change in visa rules blocks their re-entry. Despite the paranoia over immigration, discussions with tech entrepreneurs have shown that US-based tech companies are as hungry for tech talent as before because of a shrinking domestic pipeline, especially for specialised roles such as data... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3296814/how-asian-workers-can-play-their-tech-cards-right-amid-us-visa-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3296814/how-asian-workers-can-play-their-tech-cards-right-amid-us-visa-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jan 2025 02:30:10 +0000 As Donald Trump settles back into the White House for a second term and the rest of the world readies itself for a reprisal of US threats and transactionalism, Southeast Asia has been put on notice where it stands with Washington. A day after he was sworn in on January 21, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to his counterparts in the Philippines and Indonesia – a promising indication that at least some countries in the region matter. Rubio’s first meeting, however, was with the foreign... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3296470/trump-tech-titans-geopolitical-traps-await-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3296470/trump-tech-titans-geopolitical-traps-await-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jan 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Peggy Sito Peggy Sito Hong Kong-listed SenseTime is set to spin off its healthcare platform to facilitate growth, capitalising on the rapid advancements in large language models (LLMs) that are transforming artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical field. The company’s AI-enabled smart hospital solution covers diagnostic and treatment help, AI patient service, as well as AI medical and hospital group services, according to Professor Li Hongsheng, the chief scientist for medical foundation models at SenseTime... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3296080/sensetime-plans-spin-healthcare-platform-effort-capitalise-advanced-llms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3296080/sensetime-plans-spin-healthcare-platform-effort-capitalise-advanced-llms?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2025 02:45:08 +0000 South Korean researchers have developed a lightweight wearable robot that can walk up to paraplegic users and lock itself onto them, enabling them to walk, manoeuvre obstacles and climb staircases. The Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said their goal is to create a robot that seamlessly integrates into the daily lives of individuals with disabilities. Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the KAIST team, demonstrated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3291938/south-koreans-develop-iron-man-inspired-wearable-robot-help-paraplegics-walk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3291938/south-koreans-develop-iron-man-inspired-wearable-robot-help-paraplegics-walk?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2024 03:37:29 +0000 The internet was once heralded as a force that transcended borders, connecting people and businesses in a seamless global network. That vision, however, is rapidly unravelling. Governments are asserting sovereignty over their digital domains, rewriting rules for global tech giants. Driven by national security concerns, economic priorities and geopolitical rivalries, this shift is fracturing the digital economy – with profound consequences. By 2022, the digital economy accounted for 15.5 per cent... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3290764/digital-nationalism-killing-promise-open-internet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3290764/digital-nationalism-killing-promise-open-internet?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Dec 2024 08:30:07 +0000 With the prospect of a more isolationist United States under a second Trump administration, Asian economies must pivot to remain at the forefront of global trade and sharpen their tools to not just survive but thrive. US manufacturing has experienced a decline since the 2008-09 global financial crisis, despite a brief resurgence in productivity and job numbers in recent years. However, revitalising manufacturing is not a straightforward path to job creation. Automation and artificial... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3286159/how-asia-can-strengthen-its-trade-manufacturing-trump-returns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3286159/how-asia-can-strengthen-its-trade-manufacturing-trump-returns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2024 21:30:08 +0000 Xpeng Motors is stirring up competition in China’s electric vehicle (EV) market by introducing a hybrid system to take on rivals such as Li Auto and Zeekr, following a shift in consumer preference to cheaper cars with extended driving range. The company unveiled a new extended range charging system for its EVs, known as Kunpeng Super Electric System, during its corporate AI Day on Wednesday in Guangzhou, its operational base in southern Guangdong province. Kunpeng will be the new benchmark in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3285413/xpeng-stirs-rivalry-byd-li-auto-extended-range-hybrid-car-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3285413/xpeng-stirs-rivalry-byd-li-auto-extended-range-hybrid-car-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 08:02:18 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang E-commerce giant JD.com’s industrial unit refiled for an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong, in an attempt to capitalise on a China stock market frenzy triggered by heavy stimulus measures from Beijing and stronger financial results. JD Industrials submitted its second IPO application to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Monday after a first attempt failed last year due to tepid market conditions. The company did not disclose its fundraising size. It was previously said to be seeking US$1... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3280645/jd-industrials-refiles-hong-kong-ipo-plan-ride-china-stocks-wave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3280645/jd-industrials-refiles-hong-kong-ipo-plan-ride-china-stocks-wave?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Oct 2024 04:33:31 +0000 Jiaxing Li Jiaxing Li Qiniu, a Chinese cloud service provider backed by Alibaba Group Holding, is making a third attempt at a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) after Midea Group’s successful debut lifted market sentiment. The Shanghai-based company submitted a new IPO application on Sunday after its previous filing expired earlier this month. A first attempt in June last year also did not come to fruition. Qiniu plans to issue up to 234.7 million shares in Hong Kong, according to the approval it received from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3279568/alibaba-backed-qiniu-renews-bid-hong-kong-ipo-after-midea-boosts-sentiment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3279568/alibaba-backed-qiniu-renews-bid-hong-kong-ipo-after-midea-boosts-sentiment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 05:09:58 +0000 Yuke Xie Yuke Xie The development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in China’s banking sector could help the nation’s lenders generate new revenue streams, as banks grapple with challenges ranging from a slowing economy to a struggling property sector, according to experts. “For net interest income, banks are at the mercy of the central bank and the amount of liquidity the central bank allows into the banking system,” Emmanuel Daniel, founder of the Asian Banker, a financial data services... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3267568/chinese-banks-could-improve-their-bottom-lines-ai-adoption-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3267568/chinese-banks-could-improve-their-bottom-lines-ai-adoption-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jun 2024 10:18:32 +0000