China's high-speed rail network has seen an 80% decrease in minor track faults and no major track irregularity warnings in the past year thanks to AI and machine learning technologies. The success in proactive safety and maintenance was supported by AI's analysis of extensive data from the railway's sensors. Despite challenges, such as a shrinking workforce and U.S. sanctions on AI chips, China continues to advance in specialized AI applications across various sectors.

China is now producing almost half of the world’s top AI researchers, surpassing the US, with 18% coming from US undergrad institutions. Despite pioneering AI breakthroughs, the US relies heavily on Chinese-born researchers, with Chinese talent making up 38% of top US-based AI professionals. The trend of Chinese researchers staying in China rather than moving to the US could impact global AI leadership dynamics.

American lawmakers are pushing for a bill that would force ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest from the app within 165 days. Otherwise, the company will face a ban in the US due to concerns over Chinese ownership and potential national security threats. TikTok has expressed concerns, claiming the bill infringes on its First Amendment rights.

Baidu's ChatGPT-style chatbot Ernie Bot has doubled its number of users since December. The chatbot now has over 200 million users and more than 85,000 enterprise clients. Its API is being used 200 million times each day. Ernie Bot was launched in March 2023 and released publicly last August. It is competing with other Chinese generative AI models including Alibaba Group's Tongyi Qianwen, Tencent's Hunyuan, and Alibaba-backed Moonshot AI's Kimi.

China has ordered Apple to remove some of the world's most popular messaging apps from the App Store in the country. WhatsApp, Threads, Signal, Telegram, and Line have now been removed from the store. Apple said it was told to remove the apps due to national security concerns. The messaging apps were only accessible in China through virtual private networks, but they were still commonly used. China's increasing censorship will likely result in more apps being removed from app stores over the coming months.

Apple was ordered by the Chinese government last week to remove WhatsApp, Threads, as well as Signal and Telegram from the App Store in China. These apps have been used to organize protests and social movements against the government in the past. However, many Chinese citizens are well-versed in getting around them through the use of VPNs and workarounds.

President Biden has signed a foreign aid package that includes a bill that will ban TikTok if China-based parent company ByteDance fails to divest the app within a year. The company plans to contest the law in court, arguing the law is an infringement on the constitutional rights of U.S. users. Uncertainties linger over China's reaction and whether it will even allow a potential sale.

Chinese officials have declared that they vehemently oppose the mandated sale of TikTok by the US, condemning it as unfair competition. They promise to resist the app's full divestment, a stance that may influence TikTok's recommendation algorithm and its valuation as the sale process unfolds.

Around 700 to 800 Microsoft employees based in China involved in machine learning and other cloud-computing tasks have been offered the opportunity to transfer to countries including the US, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

Dedollarization could lead to reindustrialization by reducing the U.S.' reliance on printing dollars and emphasizing domestic manufacturing. The U.S. must shift from printing money to building factories to compete globally, particularly with China, which has developed a robust industrial base (low-skilled to high-skilled labor) over the past 45 years. This might require an improvement in robotics, and resistance from regulatory bodies could pose challenges.

Bybit, the third largest offshore exchange, has controversially opened up registration and authentication for users in China, despite its long-standing policy against Chinese user registration and a clear statement on its certification page that it does not offer services in Mainland China.

Chinese space startup Space Pioneer accidentally launched its Tianlong-3 rocket during a static fire test. The booster broke free from the test stand due to a structural failure. It flew several hundred meters into the sky before crashing explosively into a mountain 1.5 kilometers away from the test site. The test site is located about 5 kilometers away from the downtown area of a city with 800,000 people and less than a kilometer from a smaller village. The company reported that there were no casualties as a result of the accident.

Chinese researchers have created a robot controlled by a tiny organoid made from human stem cells. The brain tissue is hooked up to a neural interface, allowing it to pass instructions to the humanoid robot body. The setup will allow researchers to study brain-computer interfaces and help develop techniques for integrating organoids with the human brain. Organoids could one day be used to repair the human brain through transplantation.

Chinese attempts to lure domestic developers away from OpenAI will now be a lot easier as OpenAI has blocked users in China from accessing its tools and services. The tool was already blocked through the government's firewall, but developers were previously still able to use virtual private networks to access OpenAI's tools. OpenAI has not elaborated on the reason for its sudden decision. The decision may result in an acceleration of development by Chinese AI companies.

Chinese attempts to lure domestic developers away from OpenAI will now be a lot easier as OpenAI has blocked users in China from accessing its tools and services. The tool was already blocked through the government's firewall, but developers were previously still able to use virtual private networks to access OpenAI's tools. OpenAI has not elaborated on the reason for its sudden decision. The decision may result in an acceleration of development by Chinese AI companies.

Nvidia is developing a new AI chip, the B20, tailored to comply with U.S. export controls for the Chinese market, leveraging its partnership with distributor Inspur. Its advanced H20 chip has reportedly seen a rapid growth in sales in China, with projections of selling over 1 million units worth $12 billion this year. U.S. pressure on semiconductor exports continues, with possible further restrictions and control measures on AI model development.

Researchers at Tsinghua University in China have successfully demonstrated a meltdown-proof nuclear fission reactor. The twin reactor design can generate 105 MW of power each. It can cool itself down without an external power source, reaching stable temperatures around 35 hours after shutdown. Construction of the facility started in 2016, with commercial operations beginning only in December last year. One drawback of the technology is that it can't be retrofitted onto existing nuclear reactors.

Chinese researchers have created a solar powered drone that weighs just over four grams. It uses an electrostatic motor that weighs just 1.52 grams and is powered by solar cells that produce 4.5V. Its design has a lift-to-power efficiency two to three times better than that found in traditional drones. Adding batteries to the drone would make it capable of 24-hour flying operations.

Chinese researchers recently announced a groundbreaking synthetic womb experiment without the use of extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ECMO allows for oxygenation of fetus blood after removal from the mother's body, bypassing the heart and lungs, allowing these organs to rest and heal. It is expensive and comes with risks such as blood clots and infections. An ECMO-free artificial womb would significantly lower costs - the operating costs of ECMO are around $9,000 a day.

The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) has successfully tested its ultra-high-speed maglev train under low vacuum conditions. The test showed that all systems were nominal. CASIC plans to run the train at its full 621 mph speed in the second phase of testing, which will require an extended track. There may also be phase 3 tests targeting 2,485 mph.

ByteDance has released a new generative AI app called Jimeng AI in mainland China. It is available on Apple's App Store and local Android stores. Jimeng AI can create images and videos from user text prompts. It offers free access for a limited number of creations, with subscription options available. Jimeng AI is comparable to OpenAI's models and promises immediate content generation.

Chinese technology companies unveiled more than two dozen humanoid robots at the five-day 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing last week. The show attracted 400 industry experts and academics and more than 160 domestic and overseas robotic firms. While there seems to be growing interest in robots from consumers, there are still several hurdles to overcome before their use can become widespread. These include a lack of sufficient data to train the AI used in the robots, limited use cases, and high prices.

A report from China claiming to use information from Tesla's supply chain states that Tesla is planning a Model Y refresh in the first quarter of 2025. Tesla is also reportedly planning to start production of a 7-seat Model Y at Gigafactory Shanghai soon. It is expected to be an upgraded version of the US seven-seater configuration for the Asian and European markets. Most of the changes made to the Model 3 in last year's refresh will make it to the new Model Y.

Social shopping is growing but not as quickly in Western markets as it has in China, where Douyin saw $375 billion in sales in 2023. TikTok, in comparison, generated $4 billion in in-app spending last year. Facebook leads in driving social shopping behavior, but Snapchat and Reddit have higher purchase rates among their engaged users. Short-form videos are currently the most influential content type in social commerce, though security and trust issues continue to pose challenges for social shopping adoption.

Scientists in China have developed a hydrogel that may be able to treat osteoarthritis and slow down disease progression. The hydrogel restores cartilage lubrication, preventing the progression of early osteoarthritis. It is comprised of tiny hollow spheres made of a biomaterial derived from natural protein and a synthetic polymer, the combination of which creates a favorable environment for cell growth and hydration. The treatment is able to precisely target small areas of inflammation. The hydrogel has shown promise in rat studies, outperforming traditional treatments in terms of reducing friction and improving joint lubrication.

Huawei has launched a dual-hinged, triple-screen foldable phone with prices starting at 19,999 yuan (about $2,809) for the 256GB model. All models come with 16GB of RAM. The OLED display measures 6.4 inches when fully collapsed - when unfolded, that display increases to 10.2 inches. It can be used in a partially unfurled 7.9-inch configuration. The device has a 5,600mAh battery that supports 66W of wired charging. It is unclear whether the device will be available outside of China, where there have already been at least 3.7 million preorders. A video showing the phone's design is available in the article.

Alibaba has released over 100 open-source AI models, enhancing its technology to compete with rivals. The new Qwen 2.5 models, upgraded in math and coding, span applications from automobiles to gaming. Alibaba has also launched a new proprietary model, Qwen-Max 2.5, and a text-to-video tool to strengthen its AI and cloud services offerings.

Bitwise has made a significant move in the cryptocurrency market by filing the first S-1 application for an XRP-based spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This application marks a notable development as Bitwise becomes the first company to seek approval for an ETF that is directly linked to XRP, a cryptocurrency that has gained considerable recognition and longevity in the crypto space. Bitwise's CEO, Hunter Horsley, emphasized that XRP has the potential to attract mainstream investors, highlighting its established presence in the market. In the broader context of cryptocurrency exchanges, there have been notable developments regarding Bybit, the third-largest offshore exchange. Recently, Bybit opened registration and authentication for users in China, a significant shift from its previous policy that strictly prohibited Chinese users from accessing its services. This change comes amid a competitive landscape where other exchanges have already begun catering to Chinese users, raising concerns among Bybit's internal employees about the implications of this decision. Additionally, the cryptocurrency regulatory landscape is evolving, particularly in Hong Kong, which is implementing new compliance policies. While these regulations may not transform Hong Kong into a crypto haven, they do offer a framework that could foster growth and compliance within the industry. The Hong Kong government has outlined key points regarding cryptocurrency compliance, indicating a structured approach to regulation. In terms of operational challenges, Binance has been facing scrutiny regarding its contract approval processes, particularly concerning its stablecoin BUSD. The exchange has been criticized for delays in addressing contract approvals, which has raised concerns about the security and management of user funds. Furthermore, Binance has reportedly begun layoffs, with a significant portion of its workforce potentially affected, although the company maintains that it continues to seek new talent in various departments. Overall, these developments reflect the dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency market, where regulatory changes, competitive strategies, and operational challenges are continuously shaping the landscape. The filing for an XRP ETF by Bitwise, the shift in Bybit's user policy, and the evolving regulations in Hong Kong all contribute to a rapidly changing environment that stakeholders in the crypto space must navigate.