Alibaba’s Qwen Surges Ahead in Global Open-Source AI Race
Alibaba Cloud has captured over 50% of global open-source AI model downloads following the release of its Qwen 3.5 series, highlighting China’s growing dominance in the space. With nearly 1 billion cumulative downloads, Qwen has significantly outpaced rivals like Meta and OpenAI. Data from Hugging Face shows Qwen’s rapid adoption, driven by competitive performance and accessibility.
Manycore Tech Targets $130M IPO to Fuel Spatial AI Expansion
Manycore Tech has launched its Hong Kong IPO aiming to raise up to $130 million, positioning itself as the first among Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” to go public. The spatial design software firm is offering 161 million shares, largely to institutional investors, with a valuation of up to HK$13 billion. CEO Huang Xiaohuang said the company is pivoting toward “spatial intelligence,” focusing on AI-driven understanding and reconstruction of physical environments.
DeepSeek Signals AI Scale-Up with Data Center Hiring Push
DeepSeek is expanding its infrastructure footprint by hiring data center staff in Inner Mongolia ahead of its upcoming V4 model launch. The move marks a shift from its usual focus on software talent to roles supporting physical computing operations, highlighting the growing importance of infrastructure in AI development. The anticipated V4 release has sparked speculation over its chip sources, with reports pointing to either Huawei or Nvidia hardware.
AI Layoffs Surge but Experts Say the Real Impact Is Still Coming
Over 78,000 tech workers have been laid off in early 2026, with nearly half of cuts linked to AI and automation. However, experts like Babak Hodjat argue the true impact of AI on jobs is still unfolding, warning many layoffs may be mislabeled as AI-driven. Leaders including Sam Altman also point to “AI washing,” where firms blame AI for broader restructuring.
ChatGPT’s Time Problem: Even Basic Counting Remains a Challenge
Sam Altman admitted that ChatGPT still cannot reliably track time, highlighting a fundamental limitation in current AI systems. The issue gained attention after a viral video showed ChatGPT falsely timing a runner, then insisting it had done so accurately. Altman acknowledged this as a known flaw, suggesting it may take another year to fix. Despite rapid advancements, even simple tasks like timing remain surprisingly difficult, exposing gaps between AI capabilities and user expectations.
Honda Sounds Alarm as China’s Auto Boom Shakes Global Giants
Honda is facing mounting challenges as EV setbacks and collapsing China sales expose deeper competitiveness issues. The company has canceled major electric projects and expects heavy losses, while its China sales have plunged sharply since 2020. CEO Toshihiro Mibe warned that Chinese automakers’ speed and cost efficiency leave traditional players struggling to keep up. Rivals like Ford and Toyota have echoed similar concerns.
LinkedIn Faces Lawsuits Over Alleged Browser Surveillance Practices
LinkedIn is facing class-action lawsuits accusing it of covertly scanning users’ browser extensions to collect data without clear consent. The claims, backed by findings from Fairlinked e.V., allege the platform monitors thousands of extensions, potentially enabling user profiling. LinkedIn denies wrongdoing, stating the practice is disclosed in its privacy policy and used to combat scraping and protect platform security. Plaintiffs argue the disclosure is insufficient and violates privacy laws.
