Two of China's first listed foundation-model developers are showing that demand for their technology can translate into rapidly growing revenue. Turning that demand into profit remains a much harder problem.

TIME recently unveiled its 2026 list of the 100 most influential people in AI. Alongside leaders of major technology companies, the list includes a new generation of Chinese entrepreneurs spanning AI models, humanoid robots, and AI agents, highlighting how China's AI industry is expanding beyond large language models into a broader range of technologies and applications.

China-led experts have released what CCTV described as the world's first international standard for legged robots, creating a common framework for evaluating humanoid robots, robot dogs and other machines designed to walk, run, climb slopes and cross obstacles.

Chinese private launch company Galactic Energy Space Technology Co. has successfully flown PALLAS-1, its medium-to-large reusable liquid-fuel rocket, marking its expansion into a dual solid- and liquid-fuel portfolio.

ByteDance and ZTE are preparing to launch the Nubia NaviX Ultra in September after the AI smartphone received China's network access approval, clearing the regulatory process from large-model filing to device certification.

Japan's Panasonic has raised PCB material prices for the second time in 2026, broadening the increases to copper-clad laminate (CCL), pre-preg (PP) and other products, including IC substrate materials. Some items will rise by as much as 30%, with the new pricing taking effect on shipments starting September 1.

Seven listed Chinese memory-module and memory-distribution companies have filed first-half 2026 results, and the headline numbers are the largest the tier has ever reported. The more useful number is further down each statement: four of the seven reported negative operating cash flow, as inventory purchases and other working-capital demands absorbed cash even as profits rose.

The 2026 Global Automotive and Technology Expo (GATE 2026), held August 26-28 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur, was ostensibly about the future of mobility. But the stronger message from the three-day event was about something more fundamental: Malaysia wants foreign automakers to build an industrial ecosystem, not simply sell cars.

China-based ICY Tech has introduced its uHBM and uLPU AI inference architectures, extending persistent MRAM computing from validation silicon into a product roadmap spanning compute-memory dies, chips, modules, 2U trays, and racks.

In the summer of 2026, the term "Chinamaxxing" has gone viral on overseas social media, reflecting a trend among young people, especially Gen Z in the West, who openly praise China and a China-style way of life. The trend is drawing foreign visitors to sites such as Xiaomi's EV superfactory, Wenchang Beach rocket launches, and Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei, where they shop for "Made in China" tech.

More than 90% of Taiwan's external communications rely on subsea cables, raising concerns over resilience and pushing policymakers and experts to call for satellite communications to be brought onshore as a backup. At a forum on July 31, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said the island's 4G and 5G networks together cover 99% of the population, but its international connectivity remains vulnerable to cable cuts.

As quantum commercialization gathers pace worldwide, Taiwan is linking up with multiple countries to push for an Asia hub for quantum technology, industrial applications, international cooperation, and capital. On August 31, the Taiwan Association of Quantum Computing and Information Technology (TAQCIT), SEMI, and the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research invited representatives from eight countries based in Taiwan to share details of the upcoming "2026 Taiwan Quantum Forum" and discuss whether Taiwan can become such a hub.

Samsung Electronics is targeting mass production of its LPDDR5X processing-in-memory (PIM) solution in late 2026 or early 2027, moving the technology closer to commercialization as the memory giant broadens its portfolio beyond HBM.