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. 🔭
- A netizen commentator argues the U.S. ban on American firms selling cloud computing services to Chinese AI developers will have limited impact. (36kr, 02/04/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2963
- In a long-awaited milestone for Chinese genomics, a research team from Peking University People's Hospital and the Beijing Institute of Genomics completed the full sequencing of a Chinese person's genome for the first time. (S&T Daily, 02/01/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2956
- A lengthy profile of Takeo Kanade, a famous robotics and computer vision professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and his impact on many high-profile Chinese students. (Leiphone, 01/31/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2947
- iFLYTEK's new LLM is the first open AI model built on the company's domestically developed AI computing platform, built using Huawei Ascend hardware. (36kr, 01/30/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2946
Each week, a CSET expert offers insight into recent news from Scout. Today's viewpoint is from Research Analyst Hanna Dohmen.
“The U.S. Department of Commerce is exploring policies that would limit Chinese AI developers' access to American cloud computing platforms. A Chinese commentary featured this week in Scout (“A "misfire" AI ban,” 02/04/2024) argues these policies will have a limited impact for two main reasons: Chinese AI developers mostly use domestic cloud vendors, and even though Chinese companies with foreign subsidiaries may use U.S. cloud services, they are not putting all of their eggs in the same basket. Nonetheless, the author acknowledges that China is unable to produce the most advanced chips domestically and discusses ways for China’s cloud computing industry to provide cost-effective services despite that obstacle. While the commentary only represents one analyst's perspective, it’s a valuable indicator of how Chinese observers are responding to this new policy effort.”
- Chinese TV producers are beginning to use AI face-changing technology on actors - for example, to make Chinese actors look Caucasian - but AI can't overcome other technological and cultural barriers. (36kr, 01/30/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2945
- Tencent and collaborating institutions published a landmark white paper on the security and ethics of large AI models, highlighting frameworks and safety measures for responsible development. (Tencent Research Institute, 01/30/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2957
- Rock AI, a Shanghai-based company, released a new LLM based on a novel non-Transformer architecture, the "Yan" framework. (Leiphone, 01/25/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2904
- After court rulings in OPPO's favor, the phone producer signed a global 5G patent cross-licensing agreement with Nokia - ending a two-year-long dispute and highlighting concerns over Nokia's future prospects. (Leiphone, 01/25/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2936
- An overview of the growing Chinese semiconductor equipment component industry, how it generates consistent profits, and how China has been developing domestic capacity in this foreign-dominated sector. (36kr, 01/24/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2930
- As U.S. export controls tighten, Chinese buyers are reportedly losing interest in NVIDIA's China-specific chip models, with Huawei poised to benefit. (36kr, 01/21/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2908
- In a notable breakthrough, China's Bioland Laboratory unveiled the nation's first domestically produced transmission electron microscope. (S&T Daily, 01/20/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2903
- A Chinese research team developed a domestically-produced artificial cornea, overcoming a series of technical challenges in its manufacturing. (S&T Daily, 01/18/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2902
- Huawei is preparing to preview the new version of its HarmonyOS operating system, a "pure-blood domestic" OS featuring an entirely self-developed kernel. (Zhidx, 01/18/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2901
- An illustrative set of financial and policy incentives enacted to promote the growth of the AI industry in Qianhai District, Shenzhen. (CSET curation, 01/03/24) https://scout.eto.tech?id=2952