Huawei Cloud has reported substantial growth in its South African market, with demand for cloud services rising from both government and private sectors. Since becoming the first international vendor to open a ‘hyperscale’ data centre in South Africa in 2019, the company’s client base has expanded to over 1,000 businesses across sectors such as financial services, telecoms, education, and government.
Over the past five years, Huawei Cloud‘s business in South Africa has increased more than 16 times, according to Jacqueline Shi, president of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service. Although the current revenue figures remain modest, the company is planning to launch more cloud solutions to gain a larger market share as cloud adoption grows across the country.
South Africa’s cloud market is anticipated to grow at an annual rate of 26% from 2023 to 2028, reaching a projected value of 113 billion rand ($6 billion). The adoption of AI is also expected to drive demand for cloud services, making cloud solutions increasingly essential for local businesses, said Steven Chen, Huawei Cloud South Africa’s CEO.
Huawei is competing with Amazon, Microsoft, and Google in the South African market, already operating three data centre locations in Johannesburg. The Chinese tech giant aims to capitalise on the region’s expanding cloud market and meet the increased demand for computing and AI solutions from local companies.
China has reaffirmed its support for Apple’s business operations in the country, welcoming further expansion by the US tech company. In a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao stated that Apple is welcome to deepen its presence in the Chinese market, according to a statement from the ministry. This sentiment aligns with earlier discussions between Cook and China’s Minister for Industry and Information Technology in Beijing.
Wang highlighted China’s interest in stabilising Sino-US economic and trade relations, expressing a commitment to returning these ties to a healthier state through ongoing communication between the government and businesses. Such exchanges, he said, could foster a stronger, more stable trade partnership between the two countries.
China’s government also assured foreign companies, including Apple, of continued improvements to its business environment and high-quality services, signalling its openness to international investments. However, Wang emphasised that prioritising national security over trade cooperation could harm these efforts, subtly suggesting that an overemphasis on security concerns may disrupt normal economic interactions.
A new partnership has been formed between China’s International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) and Pakistan’s Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). The two countries aim to use space technology and big data to boost natural resource management and achieve regional Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The collaboration will focus on joint research, making use of data from the Sustainable Development Science Satellite 1 (SDGSAT-1). Launched in 2021, the satellite plays a vital role in monitoring progress toward sustainable development by providing valuable data insights.
Professor Guo Huadong, Director-General of CBAS, highlighted the importance of technological innovation and advanced data analysis in tackling challenges related to the UN’s 2030 Agenda. The shared efforts in data collection and analysis are expected to improve regional decision-making on sustainable development.
At the event, representatives from CBAS also presented the ‘Atlas of SDGSAT-1 Satellite Nighttime Light Image’ to scholars from Pakistan, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Thailand, and Seychelles. It demonstrates the potential of satellite data to provide new perspectives on sustainability challenges.
Nvidia has deepened its ties with major Indian firms, including Reliance Industries, as it seeks to capitalise on the country’s growing AI market. At an AI summit in Mumbai, CEO Jensen Huang announced the launch of a new Hindi-focused AI model, Nemotron-4-Mini-Hindi-4B, designed to help businesses develop language-specific AI tools. This is part of Nvidia’s broader strategy to boost computing infrastructure in India, which Huang said will expand nearly 20 times by the end of this year.
The new model is tailored for Hindi, one of India’s 22 official languages, and aims to support companies in creating AI-driven solutions for customer service and content translation. Tech Mahindra is the first to adopt Nvidia’s offering, using it to develop a custom AI model, Indus 2.0, which also focuses on Hindi and its various dialects. Nvidia is also working with major IT players like Infosys, TCS, and Wipro to train half a million developers in AI.
In addition, companies such as Reliance and Ola Electric will use Nvidia’s “Omniverse” technology for virtual factory simulations, enhancing their industrial planning capabilities. The summit highlighted India’s growing significance in the global AI landscape as the country accelerates efforts to develop its semiconductor industry and AI infrastructure.
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and global partners Bayer, Microsoft, and GSMA published a study on rural digital connectivity in rural Latin America and the Caribbean. The report, titled ‘Breaking down barriers, narrowing gaps,’ focuses on rural women and youth’s significant roles in adopting new technologies, drawing on data from prior studies and 31 interviews across 14 countries.
The report identifies three models of technology adoption – intensive adoption linked to higher education levels, value chain support utilisation common among the youth, and non-use due to geographic or environmental constraints. Policymakers, including Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Honduras’ Agriculture Secretary Laura Suazo, highlighted digital solutions’ crucial role in transforming rural agriculture.
Why does it matter?
The report calls for joint private and public sector initiatives to close the digital divide, ensuring rural communities actively participate in a digitally inclusive agricultural future. It also stressed the development of public policies that address agricultural challenges, focusing on technology access for women and youth and highlighting digital technologies as essential tools for reducing poverty and enhancing food security in rural areas.
Mongolia is strengthening its digital economy through a promising alliance with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The Mongolian government is prioritising digital development as part of its larger developmental agenda by undertaking two major projects focused on digitalisation. Central to these efforts is the development of a legal framework for big data and artificial intelligence to safeguard and efficiently manage digital processes.
At a recent event Minister Baatarkhuu underscored plans to modernise public services by improving data exchange systems such as XYP and the National Identification and Authentication System (DAN). These efforts aim to reduce reliance on paper-based documentation, supported by the EBRD’s recommendations to enhance the system’s security. Another ambitious step towards integrating new technologies includes establishing a ‘drone zone’.
The Ministry of Digital Development of Mongolia proposed a collaboration with the EBRD on the Esign Client Program Development Project, which seeks to normalise digital signatures over four years, enhancing the efficiency of document authentication.
Why does it matter?
This partnership demonstrates a strong bilateral commitment to advancing Mongolia’s digital infrastructure, leveraging EBRD’s expertise and resources for sustainable digital growth. EBRD expressed readiness to provide advisory support to navigate opportunities and challenges in the digital economy.
OpenAI’s latest AI model, code-named Orion, is reportedly set to debut by December, with limited access initially granted to a few corporate partners, according to sources. Unlike previous releases available broadly on ChatGPT, Orion will first be shared with select companies, including key partner Microsoft. Engineers at Microsoft are preparing to deploy Orion on Azure by November, suggesting early access could be imminent.
Although Orion is seen as the successor to GPT-4, OpenAI has yet to confirm if the model will officially carry the GPT-5 designation. Publicly, OpenAI has downplayed the reports, with CEO Sam Altman dismissing them as “fake news.” An OpenAI spokesperson later clarified that the company has “no plans to release a model code-named Orion this year,” but they confirmed a commitment to releasing new technology.
Sources indicate that Orion could be up to 100 times more powerful than GPT-4 and separate from OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model, launched in September. Orion’s development has likely involved synthetic data generated by o1, referred to internally as “Strawberry.” OpenAI celebrated completing Orion’s training last month, which coincides with a cryptic post by Altman hinting at the model’s arrival, mentioning his excitement for “winter constellations.”
Orion is expected to advance OpenAI’s goal of creating a model capable of artificial general intelligence (AGI), a significant leap from current large language models. The prospect of Orion has drawn speculation, both for its potential capabilities and its selective release strategy, signalling OpenAI’s commitment to carefully refining its technology for high-level applications.
Portuguese startup Sensei, specialising in contactless store technology, has secured €15 million in a Series A funding round led by BlueCrow Capital. The investment also saw participation from Lince Capital, Explorer Investments, Kamay Ventures, and existing backers like Metro AG and Techstars Ventures. This follows Sensei’s 2021 seed round of €5.4 million.
Sensei aims to establish 1,000 fully autonomous retail points by 2026, with current operations in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Brazil. The company uses AI-powered sensors and computer vision to automate checkout, offering customers a seamless shopping experience and real-time store management for retailers.
As competition heats up in the contactless retail space, Sensei is up against major players like Standard Cognition, Trigo, and AiFi, which have raised substantial funds to develop similar technology.
Thailand’s Commerce Minister, Pichai Naripthaphan, has revealed that Nvidia, the US-based chip-making giant, is preparing to announce significant investment plans in Thailand. This unveiling is expected to occur during Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s scheduled visit to Bangkok in December. While Minister Pichai did not disclose the exact details of the investment or the financial scale, the move marks a notable step in Nvidia’s expansion efforts in the Southeast Asian region.
Nvidia’s decision to invest in Thailand reflects the country’s growing importance as a hub for technology and innovation in the region. The potential investment could also strengthen Thailand’s position in the global semiconductor industry, as demand for advanced chips continues to surge, particularly in sectors like AI, gaming, and data centres. The Thai government will likely welcome this development, which aligns with its broader goals to attract more high-tech investments and drive economic growth through technological advancements.
This upcoming announcement highlights the deepening relationship between global tech giants and Southeast Asia, with Thailand emerging as a key player in attracting multinational companies like Nvidia. More details are expected to be revealed during Huang’s visit, potentially signaling a significant economic boost for the region.
India is set to introduce new restrictions on the import of laptops, tablets, and personal computers starting in January, aiming to boost domestic manufacturing. This move could significantly impact the country’s IT hardware market, valued between $8 billion and $10 billion, which currently relies heavily on imports. The Indian government hopes to shift more production locally through this initiative, which is expected to reshape the industry.
The country previously attempted to limit imports of such devices but faced backlash and pressure from international companies, particularly from the US. At present, companies can import laptops into India through a simple online registration system. However, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is now developing a new system that will require prior authorisation for imports.
India’s IT hardware market, which is worth nearly $20 billion, depends on imports for two-thirds of its demand, with much of it coming from China. To encourage local production, the Indian government has offered $2.01 billion in subsidies, attracting interest from major manufacturers such as Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Many of these companies are reportedly preparing to begin local manufacturing under India’s production incentive program.
