China Blacklists U.S. Biotech Giant Illumina Amid Escalating Trade Tensions
China’s Ministry of Commerce has added U.S. genomic sequencing leader Illumina to its “unreliable entity list,” citing discriminatory actions against Chinese firms. The move marks the first time a biotech company has been blacklisted, sending Illumina’s stock down 5%. The decision comes as China imposes new tariffs of 10-15% on U.S. products, signaling rising tensions in the ongoing trade war. Analysts see this as part of China’s broader strategy to boost its own biotech sector while responding to U.S. restrictions on Chinese genomics firms like BGI.
Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen2.5-Max Surpasses DeepSeek-V3 in Chatbot Arena Rankings
Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen2.5-Max has secured the seventh spot in Chatbot Arena’s rankings, surpassing DeepSeek-V3, which placed ninth. However, it still trails DeepSeek-R1, which claimed third place. This achievement highlights the rapid progress of Chinese firms in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, with Alibaba’s model emerging as the top non-reasoning AI model from a Chinese developer.
US Lawmakers Sound Alarm on China’s Rapid AI and Robotics Advancements
China’s progress in its “Made in China 2025” strategy has raised fresh concerns in Washington, with experts warning that the U.S. risks falling behind in AI and humanoid robotics. During a congressional hearing by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, analysts urged Washington to strengthen tech partnerships with allies and ease visa rules for Chinese STEM talent. China has reportedly achieved 86% of its MIC2025 targets, accelerating its push for industrial self-reliance and innovation.
AI Startup Safe Superintelligence Eyes $20B Valuation in New Funding Round
Safe Superintelligence (SSI), an AI startup co-founded by former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, is in talks to raise funding at a valuation of at least $20 billion—quadrupling its worth since its last $1 billion round in September. Despite having no revenue, SSI is attracting investor interest due to Sutskever’s reputation and its mission to develop safe, human-aligned superintelligence. The company aims to “scale in peace,” distancing itself from short-term commercial pressures.
Musk’s Radical Blockchain Plan for U.S. Treasury Faces Backlash Amid Crypto Turmoil
Elon Musk has ignited controversy after gaining “read-only” access to U.S. Treasury’s sensitive data, including Social Security and Medicare information. Musk’s recent comments suggest a plan to transfer the U.S. Treasury operations to blockchain, a proposal criticized for lacking clear details but promising “savings.” The move has raised concerns about legal issues, data privacy, and the impact on the U.S. economy. Critics warn that such a shift could lead to inflation, slower transactions, and destabilize the dollar, while potentially benefiting wealthy investors like Musk.
Amazon Shares Drop 4% After Cloud Revenue Misses Expectations
Amazon’s stock fell 4% on Friday, wiping out $100 billion in market value, after its cloud unit, AWS, reported lower-than-expected revenue growth of 19% ($28.79B vs. $28.87B forecast). The disappointment mirrors similar shortfalls at Microsoft and Google, raising concerns over the profitability of massive AI investments, especially after China’s DeepSeek introduced a cost-efficient AI model. The company’s stock remains up 4% in 2025, outperforming Microsoft and Alphabet.
France and UAE Sign Deal for €50 Billion AI Data Center Investment
Ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron and UAE’s Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced a groundbreaking €30 to €50 billion investment to build a massive AI-focused data center in France. With backing from French and Emirati investors, the initiative reflects a broader effort to position Europe as a major player in AI technology. The summit, where global leaders like U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will attend, is expected to bring further announcements on AI investments and environmental concerns.
