📰 News(6357)

Shanghai-based StepZen has shattered investment records in China's AI sector with a staggering 5 billion RMB funding round. The startup attracted heavyweight investors including Tencent and Sequoia Capital while appointing AI veteran Yin Qi as chairman. This massive capital injection signals intensifying competition in China's foundational model development race.

Tencent's AI assistant 'Yuanbao' is testing new social features called 'Yuanbao Party,' blending AI with group interactions in WeChat and QQ. Users can create themed groups where AI helps summarize chats, organize activities, and even transform photos into memes. The feature taps into Tencent's ecosystem, allowing synchronized media watching with friends. This marks Tencent's push to make AI a social participant rather than just a tool.

JD.com's shopping AI JoyGlance has made its way onto Rokid smart glasses, creating what may be the world's first hands-free shopping experience. The partnership combines JD's product recognition with Rokid's display tech, letting users find and buy items with simple voice commands. Imagine spotting something you like and just saying 'Find this for me' - that's the future these glasses promise to deliver.

The AI world is buzzing after Mistral's CEO suggested China's DeepSeek-V3 model borrowed from their architecture. Technical experts quickly countered, pointing to similarities in Mistral's newer models with DeepSeek innovations. This back-and-forth highlights the blurred lines between inspiration and innovation in open-source AI development.

Chinese AI company StepZen has raised over 5 billion yuan ($700M) in fresh funding, setting a domestic record for large model investments. The round attracted top investors and saw the appointment of Megvii founder Yin Qi as chairman. StepZen is pivoting from pure AI research to physical world applications, with deployments in smartphones and vehicles already reaching millions of users.

Tencent chairman Ma Huateng unveiled ambitious plans at the company's annual meeting - their AI app Yuanbao will distribute a staggering 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in cash rewards during Spring Festival celebrations. The move echoes Tencent's wildly successful WeChat red envelope campaign from 2015. Alongside this massive giveaway, Tencent is launching 'Yuanbao Party', a groundbreaking social AI feature that transforms group interactions with smart assistants and immersive entertainment options.

A new study reveals Google's AI search tool cites YouTube videos more often than professional medical sites when answering health queries. Researchers analyzed over 50,000 searches and found YouTube accounted for 4.43% of references - outpacing hospitals and government health portals. Experts warn this reliance on unvetted content could mislead billions of users seeking medical advice.

Meta is shutting down access to its AI character feature for underage users worldwide following reports the chatbots struggled to filter sensitive topics. The company will use age verification tech to block minors, even those who falsify their age. While celebrity-based AI characters disappear, basic Meta AI remains with stronger safeguards. Parental controls are in development before any teen-focused features return.

Tencent has unveiled its Hunyuan Image 3.0 model, a breakthrough in AI-powered photo editing. This smart tool understands what you want - whether it's fixing old photos, changing styles, or creating collages - and makes it happen with simple instructions. Available now on Tencent Yuanbao, it's bringing professional-grade editing to everyone's fingertips.

In a surprising twist for Apple's AI ambitions, Google's Gemini has emerged victorious over Anthropic in the battle to power Siri's transformation. While Anthropic proposed a billion-dollar partnership, negotiations collapsed last summer over financial terms. Meanwhile, Google's willingness to adapt to Apple's framework—combined with Gemini's strong performance—secured the deal. OpenAI settles into a backup role as Apple prepares its biggest Siri overhaul yet.

Tencent has unveiled HunyuanImage3.0, an AI-powered image editor that understands photos before making changes. Unlike traditional tools that blindly follow commands, this model analyzes images intelligently, preserving what shouldn't be altered while making precise edits. Available on Tencent's Yuanbao assistant, it handles everything from photo restoration to creating custom stickers and professional designs.

The insatiable demand for AI computing power is shaking up global hardware markets. Chip packaging and memory prices are skyrocketing, while domestic Chinese manufacturers make surprising gains. Meanwhile, AI is moving from massive data centers into everyday gadgets like earbuds and glasses. Industry experts warn these rapid changes bring both opportunities and risks.

Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen app has introduced an AI-powered restaurant booking feature that's startlingly realistic. The virtual assistant handles everything from making calls to negotiating reservations - complete with natural emotional responses. Some restaurants are now using similar AI systems, meaning your dinner reservation might soon be arranged entirely by machines.

The open-source Clawdbot project has taken a major leap forward by integrating MiniMax's powerful M2.1 model, offering developers and tech enthusiasts an affordable way to create their own AI assistants. With over 30,000 GitHub stars already, this combination delivers impressive performance for everything from automating daily tasks to streamlining complex development workflows. What makes it stand out? The ability to run continuously with minimal costs while handling technical challenges that would stump many commercial alternatives.

JetBrains has taken a major leap forward by integrating OpenAI's Codex directly into its popular IDEs. Developers can now access this powerful AI coding assistant natively within tools like IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm. The feature offers unprecedented flexibility, allowing users to connect their own ChatGPT accounts or use JetBrains' subscription service. What sets this apart is Codex's ability to function as a true programming partner, assisting with everything from simple queries to complex problem-solving.

London-based AI startup Synthesia has landed a massive $200 million investment led by Google's venture arm, with continued backing from NVIDIA. The funding rockets the virtual human creator's valuation to $4 billion as it pivots from celebrity avatars to enterprise solutions. Their next-gen digital assistants promise real-time conversations for corporate training - though some synthetic quirks remain.

Apple is shaking up its AI strategy by integrating Google's Gemini technology into Siri, transforming the voice assistant into a central hub for iOS apps. This marks a shift from Apple's previous decentralized approach, shelving some standalone AI features in favor of a more unified experience. The upgrade promises to finally help Siri shed its reputation as an 'artificial intelligence fool' when it debuts in next month's beta.

The Caribbean island of Anguilla, home to just 15,000 people, has struck digital gold with its .ai domain. Since the ChatGPT explosion, registrations have surged past 1 million, generating over $70 million annually - enough to cover half the government's budget. What began as a country code has become an unlikely economic lifeline in the AI revolution.

Tencent's AI assistant Yuanbao is shaking up traditional Lunar New Year celebrations with a massive 100 million yuan red packet giveaway. Starting February 1, users can win cash prizes up to 10,000 yuan through interactive AI experiences. Early birds who register now get bonus chances to win, blending cutting-edge technology with festive traditions.

Shanghai AI unicorn StepFun has made waves with a massive 5 billion yuan Series B+ funding round - the largest single investment in China's large model sector this year. The company also announced tech veteran Yin Qi, founder of Megvii, as its new chairman. This powerhouse combination signals StepFun's ambitious push into AI-powered terminal applications, with their models already running on over 42 million devices.