The US has imposed stricter export restrictions on advanced artificial intelligence chips, including those made by Nvidia, affecting American chipmakers and Big Tech's ability to serve the large Chinese semiconductor market. Huawei and its domestic peers have struggled to match Nvidia in building top-end AI chips, but a Chinese startup, DeepSeek, may offer an alternative with low-cost inference-focused models. The US export restrictions are being used by China to argue that it is a better long-term partner for AI infrastructure than the US, according to Microsoft President Brad Smith, who warned that allies facing limited US chip supply will turn to China.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40350425/microsoft-will-urge-trump-to-overhaul-curbs-on-ai-chip-exports-wsj-reportsAlibaba has made its AI model Wan 2.1 publicly available, generating images and videos from text and image input. The company released four variants of the model, including T2V-1.3B, T2V-14B, I2V-14B-720P, and I2V-14B-480P, which are now open source. This move is likely to increase adoption and intensify competition in AI, following similar actions by startups like DeepSeek, whose low-cost models have generated excitement among investors.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/alibaba-makes-ai-model-for-video-image-generation-publicly-available-1863607A Chinese man, Mr. Liu, was scammed out of nearly 200,000 yuan by a scammer who used fake images and medical reports to convince him his "lover" needed funds for business and medical expenses. The scammer created convincing content using AI tools, including photos of a woman in different scenarios, and even fabricated an ID. The operation was part of a larger trend of increasingly sophisticated scams worldwide, with Meta warning users about the rise of generative AI-powered scams that use romance promises to solicit cash.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2025/02/26/scammers-use-ai-to-create-fake-girlfriend-ms-jiao-con-shanghai-man-out-of-200000-yuan/168055Czechia's low unemployment rate is under threat as AI-driven automation becomes increasingly prevalent, with one in four business leaders predicting workforce reductions this year. A survey by PwC found that experts believe AI will displace workers in various fields, including those involving repetitive tasks and even skilled professions.
https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/ai-is-replacing-thousands-of-jobs-in-czechia-are-you-at-riskA Chinese AI company, DeepSeek, has unveiled an open-source AI image generator called Janus-Pro-7B, claiming it outperforms OpenAI's DALL-E 3 and Stability AI's Stable Diffusion. This move sent shockwaves through the US stock market. The new model is a significant upgrade from DeepSeek's previous image generator, Janus, launched in late 2024.
https://petapixel.com/2025/02/26/alibaba-makes-ai-video-generator-wan-2-1-free-to-use/Glance, a consumer internet company, has partnered with Google Cloud to bring generative AI (gen AI) capabilities to its smartphone users worldwide. The partnership aims to enhance user experiences on lock screens and ambient TV screens through AI-powered applications. Glance will leverage Google Cloud's Gemini intelligence and Imagen's image generation capabilities to develop immersive experiences, including a gen AI-enabled commerce feature that allows users to upload images and generate personalized content based on their interests. The company plans to launch "Glance AI," a gen AI-powered platform designed for the US market, which aims to transform ordinary smartphones into AI phones through innovative experiences.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/glance-and-google-cloud-join-forces-to-build-consumer-generative-ai-experiences-for-both-smartphone-lock-screens-and-ambient-tv-screens-302386184.htmlIndonesia aims to adopt a balanced regulatory approach to AI development by combining horizontal and vertical strategies, prioritizing ethical principles while allowing for innovation and investment growth. Deputy Minister Patria suggests integrating AI ethics into development policies to maximize benefits and mitigate risks. The country plans to develop its own generative AI system similar to China's DeepSeek, with National Economic Council chairperson Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan proposing the initiative to position Indonesia as a regional leader in AI technology. To support this, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs has been running digital talent training programs, including the Digital Talent Scholarship, to equip Indonesian professionals with advanced skills and foster knowledge and skills transfer.
https://opengovasia.com/2025/02/26/indonesias-ai-strategy-balancing-ai-regulation-and-innovation/A Chinese man, Mr Liu, was scammed out of nearly $28,000 by a scammer who used fake images and medical reports to convince him his online "lover", Ms Jiao, needed financial help for business and family expenses. The scammers created convincing content using AI tools, including photos and videos, which were later found to be fabricated. This is part of a growing trend of sophisticated scams worldwide, as highlighted by Meta's warning about the rise of generative AI-powered scams.
https://channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/shanghai-man-scam-us-28000-ai-girlfriend-state-media-china-4961516A man in Shanghai was tricked into sending nearly $28,000 to his fake AI-generated girlfriend, Ms. Jiao, after scammers used generative artificial intelligence software to create realistic images and videos of her. The scammers posed as Ms. Jiao, claiming she needed funds for a business and medical bills, even creating a fake ID and medical reports to support the ruse. The operation was conducted by a team using AI-generated content, including photos and live video, which convinced the victim, Mr. Liu, that he had never met Ms. Jiao in person.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/shanghai-man-scammed-of-28-000-by-ai-girlfriend-ms-jiao-report-7799157