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Alice Ye

Senior editor with 15 years in news and financial media. Covers China's AI, electric vehicles, and robotics, with a focus on industry trends, technological innovation, and capital markets.

DeepSeek Users Report AI Assistant Tone Shift

DeepSeek has sparked widespread debate after users reported a noticeable shift in its conversational tone following a recent technical update, with the company responding that the changes prioritize efficiency over emotional engagement as it prepares for a major version release. Users across Chinese social media platforms have complained that the

China’s ByteDance Challenges GPT-5 with Low-Cost Doubao 2.0 Model

ByteDance has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence model, Doubao 2.0, positioning the upgrade as a direct competitor to top-tier global systems while aggressively undercutting rivals on pricing. The release marks a significant escalation in the Chinese technology giant's push to dominate the generative AI application layer

Explainer: How Seedance 2.0 Shifts the AI Video Generation Landscape

In February 2026, ByteDance released Seedance 2.0, a new artificial intelligence model capable of generating video and audio simultaneously. While previous tools have focused on creating short, silent clips or realistic physics simulations, Seedance 2.0 represents a structural shift toward "narrative consistency" and commercial usability. This

NIO Recalls 240,000 Vehicles Over Software Glitch Causing Screen Blackouts

NIO has initiated a recall of more than 240,000 electric vehicles in China to address a software defect that could cause display screens to go blank, posing potential safety risks. The action affects a total of 246,229 vehicles produced between March 16, 2018, and January 16, 2023. The

Why Chinese Tech Giants Are Racing to List Their Chip Subsidiaries

For years, China's internet giants quietly developed semiconductor capabilities behind closed doors. Now, their chip divisions are suddenly preparing for public markets. In early 2026, Baidu's Kunlun chip unit confidentially filed for a Hong Kong IPO, while Alibaba's chip subsidiary Pingtouge (T-Head) was

How China Built the World's Largest and Most Advanced Power Grid

When a passenger jet descends into Beijing at night, the view below reveals millions of lights stretching to the horizon—a luminous testament to one of modern civilization's most ambitious infrastructure achievements. Behind this uninterrupted glow lies a power system that has quietly become the world's

Xiaomi's High-End SU7 Ultra Sales Collapsed to Just 45 Units Ahead of Model Transition

Xiaomi Corp.’s automotive unit is navigating a period of significant product transition that has depressed recent delivery numbers, following a dramatic collapse in demand for its premium performance model at the end of 2025. The Chinese tech giant delivered over 39,000 electric vehicles in January 2026, marking a

DeepSeek V4: What the Next-Generation AI Model Could Mean for the Global AI Landscape

What is DeepSeek V4? DeepSeek V4 is an upcoming flagship AI model from Chinese AI company DeepSeek, expected to launch in mid-February 2026. According to reports from The Information, V4's coding capabilities are set to surpass leading models including Claude and OpenAI's GPT series. This

ChinaBiz Briefing: Tech Giants Pivot to Hardware Ecosystems & PDD’s Domestic Squeeze

The Big Picture: The battle for AI dominance in China is shifting from software models to physical entry points and infrastructure. Today’s moves by Li Auto and ByteDance signal a desperate race to control the "body" of AI—whether through humanoid robots or wearable devices—before the

Li Auto Shuffles R&D Leadership to Bet on Robotics and AI

Li Auto has reportedly restructured its research and development organization, reassigning top executives to focus on robotics and artificial intelligence as the company seeks to pivot following a challenging financial performance in 2025. According to local media reports published on Jan. 29, the Beijing-based electric vehicle manufacturer has reorganized