Plus: Homegrown hallucinations, solid-state batteries, and an AI push in Chinese schools
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Scout is ETO's discovery tool for Chinese-language news and commentary on technology issues. See the latest editors’ picks, browse the feed by topic, or sign up for customized e-mail alerts at https://scout.eto.tech.- Microsoft’s huge AI and IoT research lab in the Shanghai Zhangjiang High-tech Park has reportedly shuttered. (Leiphone, 03/24/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4253
- China's XPeng Motors plans to mass-produce L3 humanoid robots by 2026 but expects at least several years before L4, even as Chinese robotics firms invest heavily in data, sensors, and algorithms. (EEFocus, 03/13/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4252
- "Manus," a general-purpose AI agent app developed by Chinese company Monica.im, has attracted huge attention and hype; one commentator urges caution. (CSET curation, 03/08/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4192
- Total Chinese investment in semiconductor design, wafer manufacturing, and packaging declined in 2024, but equipment investment rose marginally. (EEFocus, 03/07/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4251
- A netizen complains about DeepSeek's "pollution" of the Chinese internet with hallucinated information, citing examples across a wide range of application scenarios. (36kr, 03/06/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4242
- China's government announced new policies to promote the use of open-source RISC-V chips nationwide, aiming to reduce reliance on Western technology. (EE Times China, 03/05/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4234
- DeepSeek's rise has caused Chinese competitors including Moonshot, MiniMax, ByteDance, and Tencent to revise their org charts and refocus on technical goals, meaning DeepSeek could have more serious local competition before long. (Leiphone, 02/28/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4241
- An anecdote-rich profile of Liang Wenfeng’s unique personality and its impact on DeepSeek, emphasizing his indifference to conventional success and single-minded focus on AGI. (Leiphone, 02/27/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4228
- Many Chinese chips can't run the full version of DeepSeek's R1 model, indicating uneven progress in China's AI chip sector. (Leiphone, 02/27/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4226
- Chinese universities are integrating DeepSeek AI models into teaching and research, generating enthusiasm as well as concerns over AI dependency, academic ethics, and data security. (S&T Daily, 02/27/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4227
- A Chinese Academy of Sciences AI expert puts DeepSeek's rise in historical context, draws lessons for Chinese policy, and predicts a convergence for LLM-based and neuromorphic approaches in the humanoid robot sector. (CSET curation, 02/27/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4250
- State media reports on China's quest to implement AI education across primary and secondary schools by 2030 - and the challenges that remain. (S&T Daily, 02/25/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4221
- Tsinghua University and RealAI launched RealSafe-R1, a modified version of DeepSeek R1 with enhanced security features and improved jailbreak resistance. (S&T Daily, 02/24/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4209
- A Korean government report claims China's semiconductor industry has surpassed South Korea in four key chip technology domains. (EE Times China, 02/24/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4213
- A profile of Shenzhen's key chipmakers and competitive strengths within China's semiconductor ecosystem, including heavy hitters SMIC and HiSilicon. (Part of a series.) (EEFocus, 02/24/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4200
- Chinese experts expect AI will supercharge solid-state battery development, with local companies and universities already using machine learning for key R&D problems. (EEFocus, 02/22/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4199
- DeepSeek is injecting more energy into Hangzhou's already robust semiconductor industry. (Part of a series.) (EEFocus, 02/21/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4198
- A profile of the semiconductor industry in Xi'an, an industry hub boasting hundreds of companies, including heavy hitters like Huawei HiSilicon and ZTE Microelectronics. (Part of a series.) (EEFocus, 02/21/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4197
- China's first domestically produced commercial transmission electron microscope culminates an intensely focused, decade-long R&D process. (S&T Daily, 02/21/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4190
- Several new Chinese state-backed chip investment funds are targeting fabrication equipment, materials, and advanced packaging amid strong AI-driven market growth. (EEFocus, 02/20/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4186
- DeepSeek's efficient new models are rapidly being integrated with Chinese computing hardware, creating valuable learning and market opportunities for local chipmakers currently behind the international leading edge. (EEFocus, 02/20/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4185
- Korean chipmakers have begun using Chinese EDA tools in recent years, but U.S. sanctions could soon break the trend. (EE Times China, 02/17/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4175
- Li Hongyang's AgiBot World is a massive new open-source robotics project aiming to bring AI scaling laws to embodied systems. (AI Tech Talk, 02/16/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4174
- An official guide to China’s funding priorities for explainable and generalizable AI basic research in 2025, emphasizing not only LLMs but also neuromorphics and other methods. (CSET curation, 01/24/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4243
- A Chinese government document outlines priorities for encouraging the growth of China's data labeling industry, an important enabler for the AI sector. (CSET curation, 01/13/25) https://scout.eto.tech?id=4249