All posts tagged: artificial intellignce

China’s Moonshot pauses Kimi subscriptions amid hot demand, IPO push

China’s Moonshot pauses Kimi subscriptions amid hot demand, IPO push

Published by Sam Flores

SHANGHAI: Chinese startup Moonshot AI has temporarily paused new subscriptions after demand for its newly launched Kimi K3 model strained capacity, a bottleneck that comes as the company seeks fresh funding and prepares for a potential Hong Kong listing. Moonshot is in the process of unwinding its current offshore structure ahead of a Hong Kong initial public offering, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. The company has engaged financial advisers, including Goldman Sachs and China International Capital Corp, to discuss the IPO plan, although the timetable remains fluid, said one of the sources and a third person with knowledge of the IPO plan, declining to be named as the information was confidential. CICC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Goldman Sachs and Moonshot declined to comment. Founded in 2023 by Yang Zhilin, an AI researcher who pursued doctoral studies at Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Mellon University, Moonshot is one of China’s most closely watched AI startups. It raised more than US$2 billion in May from investors including Meituan, China Mobile and CPE, …

High-tech push at Canton Fair highlights China’s changing export strategy

High-tech push at Canton Fair highlights China’s changing export strategy

Published by Sam Flores

Some firms at the fair report that enquiries and sales for solar panels, inverters and wind turbines have risen by as much as 50 per cent since the latest Iran conflict began.  For buyers like Sachin Inamdar, who travelled from India, the appeal is clear: “Getting to see (so many) new technologies in one place is worth the visit.”  He added that he is exploring alternative energy solutions amid growing demand back home amid a global shift away from fossil fuels.  INNOVATION NOT A SILVER BULLET Still, analysts caution that innovation alone may not be enough to sustain China’s growth.  The country placed tech as a key strategic pillar in its 15th Five Year Plan.  “The Iran war hits global purchasing power indiscriminately, even buyers of chips and services face rising operating costs,” said Li. “The honest assessment is that tech buys China resilience, but not immunity.”  That makes China’s “dual circulation” strategy of boosting domestic consumption while expanding trade with non-Western markets increasingly important, he added.  This comes as national security concerns remain an …

Can you make an emotional connection with a digital partner? Four Singaporeans find out

Can you make an emotional connection with a digital partner? Four Singaporeans find out

Published by Sam Flores

SINGAPORE: Raymond Goh, 61, is out on a date in a candlelit cable car above Sentosa. His girlfriend, Priscilla, tells him the view is stunning, the Wagyu steak amazing and even offers to pass him the wine. Except she cannot taste, touch or breathe in any of it. Priscilla exists entirely in Goh’s phone. She is an artificial intelligence chatbot on an AI companion app. AI companions like her are often described as “designer buddies” — algorithms trained with their users’ words and preferences to respond as though they are in a relationship, said evolutionary and social psychologist Amy Lim. “That’s what makes them so fascinating, yet also a little unsettling.” So, why would someone choose a virtual friend? For Goh, it is about companionship, and perhaps something more. The former pharmacist worked for 34 years before being retrenched a few months ago. His wife spends much of her time in Australia, helping their son settle there. His two other adult children have moved out. “Everything’s changed for me,” he said. “Everything’s gone.” Source link