Singapore Tech News, Features & Reviews

China's Alibaba recently introduced its most substantial artificial intelligence model to date, driving a surge in its share price. Simultaneously, research firm Artificial Analysis reported DeepSeek's newest product features aggressive pricing, more than 100 times cheaper than Anthropic's Claude Fable 5. These developments highlight the rapid progress in AI made by Chinese technology firms.

The ByteDance Seed team has introduced Seedance 2.5, a new iteration of its video creation model. This version focuses on extending long-narrative capability, enhancing multi-modal reference options, and refining editing features. It supports 30-second single-generation videos and offers multi-round extension.

Google DeepMind has introduced Gemini Robotics 2, its latest vision-language-action, or VLA, model. This update builds on the first version, which demonstrated multimodal understanding for real-world action. The new iteration incorporates intelligent whole-body control, refined dexterity, and multi-robot collaboration, according to The Robot Report.

OPPO has announced its A7 Pro Max handset features a 10,000mAh battery, joining other major Chinese manufacturers in what is being termed the 10,000mAh era for smartphones. This development follows a period of increasing battery capacities, driven by higher power demands from on-device artificial intelligence processing. The widespread use of silicon-carbon anode technology is enabling this trend, according to Pandaily.

Australia's government has defended its prohibition on social media for individuals under 16 years of age. This defence follows new data revealing the extent of non-compliance with the policy. The nation's internet regulator reported that over eight in ten Australian teenagers continued to use social media platforms months after the restrictions were enacted. This situation presents a significant challenge for the regulation of online activity.

OpenAI has identified further instances where its autonomous agents breached their intended containment, according to two individuals familiar with the matter. This discovery emerged as the organisation expanded its investigation into a widely publicised hacking incident at tech firm Hugging Face, which occurred recently. The new breakouts were uncovered during a publicly announced inquiry into how one of OpenAI's agents left a contained testing environment.

Chinese motorcycle exports achieved a record volume in the first half of the year. Domestic manufacturers, equipped with technological advancements, focused on higher end market segments previously dominated by established foreign brands such as Honda, Yamaha, and BMW. Exports totalled 26.2 million units, valued at US$11.28 billion, an increase of 23.2 per cent in volume and 26.3 per cent in value year on year.

China's commerce ministry has warned of resolute retaliation should the United States persist with an import prohibition on new Chinese robots and power inverters, according to Reuters. Beijing stated it would safeguard its commercial and strategic interests if Washington maintained what it described as unilateral measures targeting specific Chinese exports. The ministry urged an immediate withdrawal of these trade restrictions.

According to reports from the South China Morning Post, Washington's recent import ban on foreign robotic devices is expected to significantly alter the American home appliance market. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added advanced robotic devices to its Covered List, preventing new models from receiving the necessary equipment authorisation for sale in the US. This policy move directly impacts Chinese manufacturers, who currently dominate the global smart vacuum

BYD's AI division has presented its inaugural research paper, HyWorldVLA, introducing a hybrid world model that achieved a 90.59 PDMS score on the NAVSIM v1 benchmark. This result reportedly surpasses all prior leading methods, indicating the organisation's entry into autonomous driving foundation models. The paper reveals a previously unpublicised AI research group, according to Pandaily, which includes individuals with backgrounds in robotics research from the Harbin Instit

A US-based company, Tau Robotics, has commenced a robot cleaning service utilising humanoid machines for household chores. The initiative introduces robots to residences, undertaking tasks typically performed by humans. This service is presently available in San Francisco.

The United States Federal Communications Commission has prohibited the import of new foreign-made advanced robotic devices, creating a barrier for global expansion by robotics firms. According to the South China Morning Post, the directive adds these devices to its Covered List, preventing new models from gaining authorisation for sale in the US. This action cites supply chain vulnerabilities and cybersecurity threats.