China automaker BYD has newly invested in Chinese AI chip startup Kunlunxin Technology, aiming to enhance its deployment in automotive AI chips solutions.
In a discussion with the famed AI scientist Fei-Fei Li at a forum on March 23, Pegratron chairman T.H. Tung remarked that the current stage of AI development is still not mature enough to replace humans, though AI will strengthen human judgment. Notably, Tung observed that in the new wave of AI arms race, the IC design industry has started to develop "small AI" chips.
US-China relations hit a new low in February as Washington added six Chinese companies to its Entity List in connection with the balloon incident. To complement the export controls against the Chinese chip industry introduced by the US in October 2022, Washington has been in negotiations with allies like Japan and the Netherlands to tighten the screw on China's civil-military fusion program, with recent announcements suggesting that China won't be able to obtain advanced immersion lithography machines from the Netherlands-based ASML.
Navigate on Autopilot (NoA) has become the standard feature of an intelligent car in recent years. China-based AI chip maker Horizon Robotics launched the Journey 5 chip, boasting high computing power and performance. It has formed partnerships with OEMs to speed up the adoption of automotive AI chips locally.
While AI-generated content has driven NVIDIA's price up more than 100% for the past six months, China-based GPU providers are not benefiting from the hype, with investment dropping both in fundraising rounds and amount.
Chinese automakers are attempting to negotiate cheaper bids with component suppliers as they face strong pricing competition in the local market, according to industry sources.
Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) will maintain its pace of in-house technological innovation while also cultivating local talent in China, according to Cheng Weihua, COO for the China-based memory chipmaker.
China-based battery giant CATL has begun mass production of its Qilin battery, according to local news reports. The battery, which leverages the company's latest cell-to-pack (CTP) technology, is expected to deliver more power than 4680 cells.
China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group Ltd. warned it may have to stop making electric cars if it can't obtain new financing, having delivered just 900 of its much-delayed flagship model.
Tesla Inc. triggered a price war in China that's poised to reshape the world's biggest car market, with hefty discounts threatening to drive some automakers out of business.
Nickel, copper, and aluminum prices have fallen to their lowest points in months. Lithium carbonate, a key material for EV batteries, also plunged as supply outpaces demand.
US-based Albemarle Corporation announced on March 22 it has selected South Carolina as the site of its new lithium processing facility. The specialty chemicals manufacturing company plans to make 50,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide every year from multiple sources, including recycled batteries.
Gaming notebook sales in China have started picking up and are expected to strengthen later in the second quarter as the country's Labor Day holiday and 618 mid-year shopping festival approach, according to industry sources.
China has had a long history of supporting its semiconductor development with industrial policies. The "Outline for advancing the national IC industry" announced in 2014 upgraded semiconductors from a matter of industrial policy to national development strategy. In addition to capital subsidies, government industrial funds are also used to drive private capital into semiconductor development, set supports for manufacturing development goals and sales, and complete the overall semiconductor ecosystem.
The National Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund of China (commonly known as the Big Fund) has cut its shareholdings in some semiconductor firms, as it is adjusting its investment direction.
