Chinese Tech Giants Target U.S. Talent to Bolster AI Ambitions
Alibaba, ByteDance, and Meituan are ramping up AI hiring in Silicon Valley, seeking to attract top U.S. talent despite restrictions on high-end Nvidia AI chip exports to China. Alibaba is building an AI team in Sunnyvale, focusing on AI-driven tools for its international e-commerce arm, with plans to potentially spin off the team into a startup. ByteDance has established multiple AI teams in California, including efforts to integrate AI into TikTok. Meituan is also expanding, driven by fears of lagging in AI innovation.
China Forms AI Experts Committee to Shape Global Governance
China has established a 170-member AI Experts Committee, led by Alibaba Cloud founder Wang Jian, to influence the development and governance of artificial intelligence worldwide. Announced during the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, the committee includes international experts like British scientist Wendy Hall and US companies such as AMD, aiming to foster global cooperation despite rising tensions with Washington. At the summit, leaders like Xiaomi’s Lei Jun and Ant Group’s Eric Jing discussed AI’s transformative potential, from intelligent driving to personalized services.
China Rises to Third in Global Industrial Robotics Adoption
China has overtaken Germany and Japan in industrial robot adoption, ranking third globally with 470 robots per 10,000 workers, according to the International Federation of Robotics. South Korea leads with 1,012 robots, followed by Singapore at 770. This growth aligns with China’s 14th five-year plan, targeting 20% annual robotics sales growth and doubling robot density by 2025. Generous subsidies from local governments like Shanghai and Shenzhen have spurred adoption.
DOJ Orders Google to Sell Chrome
The U.S. Department of Justice has proposed that Google divest its Chrome browser and possibly Android to curb its illegal search monopoly. It was previously ruled that Google abused its dominance, leveraging gateways like Chrome and Android to stifle competition. The DOJ suggests remedies like banning exclusionary contracts, licensing search data to rivals, and restricting Google from browser re-entry for five years post-Chrome sale. Google condemned the proposals, calling them overreaching and harmful to user privacy, innovation, and America’s tech leadership. If enforced, these changes could reshape Google’s future, especially its competitive edge in AI technology.
Bluesky Gains Momentum as X and Threads Adapt to Post-Election Dynamics
Bluesky is rapidly gaining users following Donald Trump’s re-election, challenging both X and Meta’s Threads. Daily users of Bluesky in the US and UK surged 300% to 3.5 million as journalists and academics left X, citing Elon Musk’s relaxed content moderation policies. Threads, initially larger, has seen its lead shrink. Meta’s reduced focus on political content sparked criticism, prompting new features like customizable feeds to rival Bluesky. Meanwhile, X has embraced freewheeling conversations but struggles to retain trust in political discourse.
Uber Eyes $10M Stake in Chinese Pony AI's Upsized US IPO
Uber Technologies plans to invest over $10 million in Pony AI’s upcoming US IPO, now expanded to 20 million shares, potentially raising $260 million at $11-$13 per share. This move follows Uber’s recent investment in WeRide’s IPO and reflects its growing interest in autonomous tech partnerships, including its collaboration with Waymo and Wayve Technologies. Pony AI, founded in 2016, operates self-driving fleets in the US and China, including fully driverless taxi services in major Chinese cities.
Amazon Boosts AI Edge with $4B Investment in Anthropic
Amazon has doubled its investment in AI startup Anthropic, committing an additional $4 billion as it vies with tech giants like Microsoft and Google in the generative AI race. Anthropic, known for its chatbot Claude, will use Amazon’s Trainium and Inferentia chips to train its AI models, advancing Amazon’s AI chip ambitions through Annapurna Labs. Anthropic has also attracted Alphabet’s support, with Google Cloud services integrated into its framework.
