Yazılar

Chinese AI Race Heats Up for New Year

/in /tarafından

China’s artificial intelligence sector is entering a new phase of competition as major tech firms unveil new models during the Lunar New Year period.

A year after DeepSeek disrupted the global industry with its powerful R1 and V3 models, rivals are accelerating development to avoid being overshadowed again.

DeepSeek is expected to introduce its next-generation V4 model soon. The company has already expanded its chatbot’s memory capacity dramatically, allowing it to process far larger volumes of information in a single task.

Other companies are moving quickly. ByteDance launched its Doubao 2.0 chatbot and Seedance 2.0 video-generation system, both designed for complex multi-step tasks. Alibaba is preparing its Qwen 3.5 model, while Zhipu introduced the open-source GLM-5 with stronger coding abilities.

Tencent has released a compact AI model optimized for consumer devices, and iFlytek unveiled Spark X2, trained entirely using domestic chips. NetEase Youdao and Dexmal also launched agent-based systems focused on automation and robotics.

Many of these tools aim to support the emerging “agent era”, where AI systems perform real-world tasks rather than simply generating responses.

The rapid wave of releases highlights China’s push to build competitive, lower-cost AI alternatives and reduce reliance on foreign technology.

China Tightens Crypto Crackdown, Targets RWA Token Issuance

/in /tarafından

China has stepped up its crackdown on virtual currencies, banning unauthorized offshore issuance of yuan-pegged stablecoins and pledging stricter oversight of tokens backed by onshore assets, according to a notice published by the People’s Bank of China. The move reinforces Beijing’s long-standing prohibition on cryptocurrencies while drawing a clearer regulatory line around real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.

Authorities said virtual currency-related activities remain illegal financial operations and warned domestic entities—and their overseas affiliates—against issuing tokens abroad without approval. Regulators also barred both domestic and foreign firms from issuing offshore stablecoins pegged to the yuan, underscoring that such instruments effectively replicate functions of fiat currency. Financial institutions were cautioned not to provide banking or clearing services to crypto-related businesses.

While reiterating a hard line on cryptocurrencies, the notice introduces a notable distinction for RWA tokenization. Offshore issuance of tokens backed by Chinese onshore assets will be subject to strict vetting by relevant authorities, a shift some industry observers view as the beginnings of a formal legal framework. Analysts say the policy signals recognition of RWA activity—long operating in a gray area—while maintaining the central bank’s monopoly over digital money via the digital yuan.

Officials cited renewed speculative activity as justification for tighter measures. Market participants now await detailed implementation rules to determine whether regulated RWA issuance can proceed and produce viable use cases under China’s oversight.

Intel, AMD Warn China Clients of Lengthy CPU Delays

/in /tarafından

Intel and AMD have notified customers in China of significant supply shortages for server central processing units, with delivery lead times stretching weeks—and in some cases months—according to people familiar with the matter. Intel has warned some clients that deliveries could take up to six months, while AMD has flagged delays of eight to ten weeks for certain products.

The constraints have pushed prices for Intel’s server CPUs in China up by more than 10% in general, sources said, as booming investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure strains not only AI accelerators but the broader supply chain. Shortages appear especially acute for Intel’s fourth- and fifth-generation Xeon processors, where deliveries are being rationed amid a backlog of unfulfilled orders.

Intel said rapid AI adoption has driven strong demand for “traditional compute,” adding that inventories are at their lowest in the first quarter but should improve from the second quarter through 2026. AMD said it has boosted supply capacity and remains confident in meeting global demand through supplier agreements, including its manufacturing partnership with TSMC.

China accounts for more than 20% of Intel’s revenue, with major customers including cloud and server providers such as Alibaba and Tencent. The shortages reflect manufacturing constraints, capacity prioritization for AI chips, and tight memory supply—pressures that are compounding challenges for AI developers and enterprise customers alike.