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☆ Elon Musk praises China's AI developments at state-backed conference sponsored by US-sanctioned companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk appeared via video link at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, per Bloomberg. The government-hosted conference is sponsored by Huawei and SenseTime – both sanctioned in the US. Elon Musk praised China's developments in AI as he discussed the technology at a government-backed conference on Thursday, Bloomberg reported. Musk appeared on screen at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, which is hosted by Chinese government ministries, per South China Morning Post. According to Reuters, Musk met with China's sixth highest-ranked leader, Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang — believed to be the first time he's met one-on-one with a foreign CEO.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, –, Ding Xuexiang —, he's, Vivek Ramaswamy, Tesla, Twitter Organizations: World AI Conference, Bloomberg, Huawei, SenseTime, Morning, China Morning, Amazon Web Services, IBM, Microsoft, Qualcomm, US, Shanghai, —, Reuters, Chinese Communist Party Locations: Shanghai, China, Xinjiang, Western China

☆ Chinese quants redouble AI bets amid ChatGPT frenzy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration/File PhotoSHANGHAI/SINGAPORE, June 5 (Reuters) - Chinese quant hedge fund managers are rushing to explore ChatGPT-style tools, embracing the emerging AI technology that has sparked a global frenzy since the release of the widely popular Microsoft-backed OpenAI chatbot. His hedge fund already uses ChatGPT to better understand a company's fundamentals and avoid value traps, project earnings power, and identify investment opportunities and risks. A ChatGPT-like tool boosts quants' ability to process text-related data, said Feng Ji, chairman of Baiont Capital. Feng's hedge fund, backed by former Google China chief and AI veteran Kai-Fu Lee, has invested heavily in hardware to enhance computing power required for model-training. Regulators are looking for ways to tackle the impact of generative AI technology.

Persons: Thomas White, Steve Chen, Feng Ji, ChatGPT, Feng, Kai, Fu Lee, Feng's, Larry Cao, Cao, it's, Samuel Shen, Tom Westbrook, Himani Sarkar Organizations: Microsoft, Baiont, Google China, Flyer, Zhishan Investment, Wall, Regulators, HK, Baidu, CFA Institute, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, SINGAPORE, Shanghai, Beijing, Feng's Nanjing, China

MiniMax was founded in 2021 by some former employees of SenseTime (0020.HK), including Yan Junjie - a former vice president at the Chinese AI firm, two other people said. Wang Huiwen, co-founder of on-demand service giant Meituan (3690.HK), said he has founded a new AI company called Beijing Lightyear Technology with $50 million from investors. Google China's former chief, Kai-Fu Lee, has unveiled his new startup - Project AI 2.0. Wang Xiaochuan, founder of China's No.2 search engine Sogou, said in April that he had founded Baichuan Intelligence with a startup capital of $50 million. Its other early investors include China's Yunqi Partners and Future Capital, statements from the venture capital funds show.

Persons: MiniMax, Yan Junjie, Wang Huiwen, Kai, Fu Lee, Wang Xiaochuan, China's, MiHoYo, Charlie Chai, ERNIE Bot, Chai, Roxanne Liu, Josh Ye, Himani Sarkar Organizations: Microsoft, HK, Huawei, Baidu, Beijing Lightyear Technology, Google, Baichuan Intelligence, China's Yunqi Partners, Future, 86Research, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, HONG KONG, China, Beijing, miHoYo, Hong Kong

☆ Chinese organisations launched 79 AI large language models since 2020 - report
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, May 30 (Reuters) - Chinese organisations launched 79 large-language models (LLMs) in the country over the past three years as they doubled down on efforts to develop artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, a report by state-run research institutes said. In 2020, Chinese organisations released 2 LLMs, compared with 11 in the United States, but in 2021 there was a total of 30 LLMs released in each country, said the report published on Sunday. U.S. organisations in total released 37 LLMs the following year, to China's 28, according to figures compiled in the report, whose co-authors include the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China. "The United States has always ranked first in the world in terms of the number of large-language models." The report comes when the country's AI industry faces significant challenges as U.S.-led export controls restrict Chinese organisations from accessing semiconductors used to train LLMs, among other advanced computing tasks.

☆ SoftBank shares drop after its Vision Fund tech investment unit posts a $32 billion record loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In this article 9984.T-JP Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTSoftBank's Vision Fund posted a record loss in the year ended Mar. The flagship tech investment unit has been hit by the falling prices of tech stocks. Akio Kon | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesShares of Japanese tech investor SoftBank fell on Friday after the company reported a record loss at its Vision Fund tech investment unit. The company said on Thursday that its Vision Fund segment lost a record 4.3 trillion Japanese yen ($32 billion) for its fiscal year ending Mar. The $100 billion Vision Fund was launched in 2017 under the stewardship of SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son and shook up the tech investing world.

☆ SoftBank posts record $32 billion loss at its Vision Fund tech investment arm
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Japanese giant's Vision Fund segment posted a 4.3 trillion Japanese yen ($32 billion) loss for its fiscal year ending Mar. 31 versus a 2.55 trillion yen loss in the same period a year before. SoftBank posted an overall loss on investments at its Vision Funds of 5.28 trillion Japanese yen versus 3.43 trillion yen a year before. The brainchild of founder Masayoshi Son, SoftBank's Vision Fund comprises Vision Fund 1 and Vision Fund 2 and invests in high growth stocks, which have faced headwinds from rising interest rates globally causing investors to sell out of riskier equities such as tech. Misra was instrumental in the early days of the Vision Fund, which was launched in 2017.

☆ China wants its AI to only say nice things about the communist party. Good luck with that.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AI systems must reflect China's "socialist core values," according to new rules reported by The New York Times. Proposed regulations could make it harder for Alibaba, Baidu and other Chinese tech companies to chase OpenAI. Bytedance and Tencent are also competing in the new AI race against Google and Facebook. A new wave of AI models is already beginning to disrupt Western business and society by automating some tasks and convincingly lying about important topics. Tencent, Bytedance, Baidu, Alibaba, Sensetime, and other big Chinese tech companies have the technical prowess to develop their own generative AI models.

☆ Alibaba shows off its generative AI tech, to roll out in all apps
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Josh Horwitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Called Tongyi Qianwen, the AI large language model drafted invitation letters, planned trip itineraries and advised shoppers on types of makeup to purchase in a filmed demonstration. Tongyi Qianwen will initially be integrated into DingTalk, Alibaba's workplace messaging app and can be used to summarise meeting notes, write emails and draft business proposals. AI models like Tongyi Qianwen are "the big picture for making AI more popular in the future," he added. On Monday, Chinese AI company SenseTime (0200.HK) unveiled a slew of new AI products including a chatbot called SenseChat. Zhang said that Alibaba and other companies working on AI models were at the "starting line" of a new phenomenon.

☆ Asia stocks rise on hopes regional central banks hold steady on rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Selena Li | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) rose 0.6% as trading resumed after a long holiday weekend in many major Asian markets. On Tuesday morning, South Korea's central bank held interest rates steady for a second consecutive meeting, as expected. Hong Kong stocks were tech sector gains, with the benchmark Hang Seng (.HSI) climbing 0.9%. The dollar index edged down by 0.098% to 102.36, while the Japanese yen weakened 0.15% versus the dollar to 133.4. In oil markets, U.S. crude gained 0.6% to $80.19 per barrel while Brent was at $84.65, also up 0.6%.

☆ Shares of China's SenseTime jump after it unveils new AI products
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The logo of SenseTime is seen at SenseTime office, in Shanghai, China December 13, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoHONG KONG, April 11 (Reuters) - Shares of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company SenseTime (0020.HK) surged as much as 11% on Tuesday, a day after it unveiled a series of new AI-powered products as it joins a global race to dominate the sector. China's Alibaba Group Holdings (9988.HK) and Japan's Softbank Group Corp (9984.T) are both invested in the Chinese AI company. SenseTime's shares rose to as high HK$3.70, up 11.1% from its previous close but below its initial public offering price of HK$3.85 in December 2021. Alibaba's shares rose as much as 3.8%, while Softbank climbed 0.5%.

☆ China proposes measures to manage generative AI services
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, April 11 (Reuters) - China's cyberspace regulator unveiled draft measures on Tuesday for managing generative artificial intelligence services, saying it wants firms to submit security assessments to authorities before they launch their offerings to the public. The CAC said that China supports AI innovation and application and encourages use of safe and reliable software, tools and data resources, but content generated by generative AI had to be in line with the country's core socialist values. Providers will be responsible for the legitimacy of data used to train generative AI products and measures should be taken to prevent discrimination when designing algorithms and training data, it said. Providers will be fined, have their services suspended, or even face criminal investigations if they fail to comply with the rules. The public can comment on the proposals until May 10, and the measures are expected to come into effect sometime this year, according to the draft rules.

☆ Alibaba unveils Tongyi Qianwen, its AI-powered answer to ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Alibaba showed off its answer to the ChatGPT craze on Tuesday, demonstrating new software that it plans to eventually roll out across all its platforms. The Chinese tech giant unveiled Tongyi Qianwen, a large language model that will be embedded in its Tmall Genie smart speakers and workplace messaging platform DingTalk. Alibaba Group CEO Daniel Zhang speaking Tuesday as the Chinese tech giant showed off its answer to the ChatGPT craze, demonstrating new software it plans to integrate across its enterprise and consumer platforms. In draft guidelines issued Tuesday to solicit public feedback, the country’s cyberspace regulator said generative AI services would be required to undergo security reviews before they can operate. Most of those units, including its cloud services business that oversees AI projects, will be authorized to raise capital and pursue public listings.

☆ China's SenseTime unveils new AI products and chatbot
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The logo of SenseTime is seen at SenseTime office, in Shanghai, China December 13, 2021. REUTERS/Aly SongHONG KONG, April 10 (Reuters) - China's SenseTime (0020.HK) unveiled on Monday a slew of new artificial intelligence-powered products including a chatbot and image generator, joining a global race ignited by the popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT. Big models are typically trained on massive datasets using powerful hardware. Global interest in AI technology has soared since the debut in late 2022 of ChatGPT, a popular chat bot developed by U.S. company OpenAI which uses generative AI technology that learns from past data to create new text, images or computer code. "We have been focusing on developing our big models.

☆ Chinese AI firm SenseTime unveils chatbot "SenseChat"
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

HONG KONG, April 10 (Reuters) - China's SenseTime (0020.HK) on Monday unveiled an artificial intelligence (AI) powered chatbot called "SenseChat", which it demonstrated performing tasks such as writing an email and a children's story upon being prompted. SenseChat is based off the company's big AI model SenseNova, said its CEO and co-founder Xu Li. Reporting by Josh Ye; Writing by Brenda Goh; editing by John StonestreetOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's Alibaba invites businesses to trial AI chatbot -media
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Alibaba has opened up registration for businesses to conduct testing for its AI application, STAR Market reported without specifying details. Alibaba Cloud did not respond immediately to an emailed request for comment. A formal launch is expected at an Alibaba Cloud event on Tuesday. Others to have joined the AI chatbot race include Baidu Inc (9998.HK), with its Ernie Bot application open only to trial users at the moment. Last week Alibaba announced that it will restructure into six standalone divisions, each with its own board and CEO.

☆ China's SenseTime shares jump on planned new AI products event
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, April 4 (Reuters) - China's SenseTime on Tuesday announced plans for a technology discussion day, boosting shares in the artificial intelligence (AI) firm. Shares in the company, which has been sanctioned by the U.S., gained more than 10% in Hong Kong on Tuesday. SenseTime, which is best known for its computer vision technology, did not elaborate on the type of AI products it would demonstrate. The company did not respond when asked about the planned event which is to be held on Monday in Shanghai. SenseTime said at the time that it strongly opposed the U.S. ban and would work with relevant authorities to resolve the situation.

☆ SoftBank's Vision Fund posts fourth straight quarter of losses as tech slump hits Japanese giant
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

SoftBank's Vision Fund, the brainchild of the company's founder Masayoshi Son, has faced a number of headwinds including a slump in technology stocks as a result of rising interest rates, a tough China market and geopolitics. SoftBank's flagship investment arm the Vision Fund posted its fourth straight quarterly loss on Tuesday as a slump in technology valuations continues to hit the Japanese giant. The Vision Fund segment posted a pre-tax loss of 660 billion Japanese yen ($5 billion) for the December quarter. SoftBank's Vision Fund's loss on investments came in at 730.35 billion yen over the three-month period. SoftBank Group overall reported a net loss of 783.4 billion yen, sinking back to a quarterly loss after posting a profit in the July-to-September quarter.

☆ U.S. investors have plowed billions into China's AI sector, report shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Alexandra Alper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

According to the report, 167 U.S. investors took part in 401 transactions, or roughly 17% of the investments into Chinese AI companies in the period. Those transactions represented a total $40.2 billion in investment, or 37% of the total raised by Chinese AI companies in the 6-year period. According to the report, U.S. investor GSR Ventures invested alongside China's IFlytek Co Ltd (002230.SZ) in a Chinese AI company after the speech recognition firm was added to a trade blacklist. Silicon Valley Bank and Wanxiang American Healthcare investments group made investments in Chinese AI firms alongside China's Sensetime before the powerhouse in facial recognition technology was added to the same trade blacklist. Only one Chinese AI company that received funding from U.S. investors is involved in developing AI applications for military or public safety uses, according to CSET.

HONG KONG, Dec 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Hong Kong’s bankers and officials fantasise about the moment China finally ditches its Covid-19 restrictions. Mainland Chinese firms account for eight of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing’s (0388.HK) ten largest ever IPOs. It remains faster for Chinese companies to list in Hong Kong, rather than join the long queue on the mainland. Hong Kong could also host more offerings from places like the Middle East and Southeast Asia, as Cha envisions. IPOs on the Hong Kong exchange have raised $7.1 billion so far in 2022, according to Refinitiv data for the year up to Dec. 7.

☆ China tech shares sink as U.S. export curbs raise chip sector hurdles
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The most immediate impact is likely to be felt by Chinese chipmakers, they said. The new regulations will now pose major hurdles for the two Chinese memory chipmakers, analysts said. A steep decline in tech shares led China's market down on its first post-Golden Week holiday trading on Monday. An index measuring China's semiconductor firms (.CSIH30184) tumbled nearly 7%, and Shanghai's tech-focused board STAR Market (.STAR50) declined 4.5%. SMIC dropped 4%, chip equipment maker NAURA Technology Group Co (002371.SZ) sank 10% by the daily limit, and Hua Hong Semiconductor plunged 9.5%.

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