Microsoft has announced a groundbreaking quantum computing chip, Majorana 1, which it claims could make useful quantum computers a reality within years. The company believes this innovation puts it ahead in the race to unlock quantum computing’s vast potential.
Unlike classical computers, quantum systems could perform calculations in fields like medicine and chemistry that would otherwise take millions of years, although they also pose risks to current encryption standards.
The Majorana 1 chip relies on a particle called the Majorana fermion, theorised in the 1930s. Microsoft says its unique design makes the chip less error-prone than its competitors.
Despite having fewer qubits than chips from Google and IBM, the company argues that the lower error rates mean fewer qubits are needed for practical applications.
Microsoft’s development of Majorana 1 combines advanced materials like indium arsenide and aluminium, using a superconducting nanowire to observe and control the Majorana particles.
Fabricated at its labs in Washington and Denmark, the chip was described as a ‘high risk, high reward’ endeavour by Jason Zander, a senior Microsoft executive.
Quantum physicist Philip Kim from Harvard University praised the innovation, calling it an exciting step forward. While scaling up the technology remains a challenge, experts suggest Microsoft’s approach could lead to significant advancements in quantum computing.
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President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he was in active discussions with China over the future of TikTok, as the US seeks to broker a sale of the popular app. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump revealed that talks were ongoing, underscoring the US government’s desire to address national security concerns tied to the app’s ownership by the Chinese company ByteDance. The move comes amid growing scrutiny over TikTok’s data security practices and potential links to the Chinese government.
The Trump administration has expressed concerns that TikTok could be used to collect sensitive data on US users, raising fears about national security risks. As a result, the US has been pushing for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations to an American company. This would be part of an effort to reduce any potential influence from the Chinese government over the app’s data and operations. However, the process has faced complexities, with discussions involving multiple stakeholders, including potential buyers.
While the negotiations continue, the future of TikTok remains uncertain. If a sale is not agreed upon, the US has indicated that it could pursue further actions, including a potential ban of the app. As these talks unfold, the outcome could have significant implications for TikTok’s millions of American users and its business operations in the US, with both sides working to find a solution that addresses the security concerns while allowing the app to continue its success.
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Hong Kong is considering approving derivatives and margin lending for virtual assets, aiming to strengthen its position as a global hub for digital assets, according to the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). This move is part of the city’s broader strategy, initiated in 2022, to become a leading virtual asset trading centre, particularly after China’s cryptocurrency ban in 2021. The SFC’s CEO, Julia Leung, announced the potential inclusion of derivative products and margin lending for professional investors, highlighting ongoing efforts to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness in the sector.
As part of its regulatory push, the city has already issued nine virtual asset trading platform licences, with more applications under review. One such licence was granted to Bullish Group, the parent company of CoinDesk. Additionally, financial secretary Paul Chan noted that the government is working on advancing regulations for stablecoins, further solidifying Hong Kong’s ambitions in the digital asset space.
The city will soon release a detailed roadmap for virtual asset growth, which will outline future plans. Meanwhile, Hong Kong competes with cities like Singapore and Dubai, also striving to become leading centres for digital finance. The latest developments come amid a broader global shift in the cryptocurrency market, which has seen significant interest from institutional investors following regulatory changes in the US under President Trump.
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Resonac Holdings, a leading chip materials maker in Japan, is positioning itself to make strategic acquisitions after reducing its borrowing, according to CEO Hidehito Takahashi. Speaking to Reuters, Takahashi expressed the company’s intention to take an aggressive approach this year, particularly eyeing opportunities when a state-backed fund exits its competitor JSR, a photoresist maker recently taken private.
Resonac, formed by Showa Denko’s acquisition of Hitachi Chemical, has been divesting assets, including a planned partial spin-off of its petrochemical business. Takahashi sees JSR’s potential exit as a key opportunity for Resonac to expand its footprint in the semiconductor materials sector. Japan’s semiconductor market remains competitive, despite the country’s reduced role in chip manufacturing, and companies like Resonac must scale up to remain viable.
In addition to its expansion efforts, Resonac is establishing an R&D centre in Silicon Valley to strengthen its ties with firms in the region. However, Takahashi made it clear that the company is not currently considering manufacturing materials in the US, though future demand could prompt a reassessment of such plans.
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Baidu has announced plans to open-source its upcoming Ernie 4.5 chatbot series, citing inspiration from the success of AI firm DeepSeek. The move is aimed at encouraging greater adoption of its technology by making it more accessible.
Baidu also plans to provide premium chatbot services free of charge starting in April, with the open-source launch scheduled for June.
DeepSeek’s open-source approach, combined with its innovative R1 model, has gained widespread attention and increased adoption of foundational AI tools. Baidu CEO Robin Li highlighted the significance of this strategy in shaping the company’s decision.
He expressed confidence in the technology behind Ernie 4.5, which Baidu claims will be its most advanced model to date.
Despite advancements in AI, Baidu’s Q4 2024 results revealed a 2% revenue decline to 34.12 billion yuan, slightly ahead of expectations. Growth in the Cloud AI sector, up 26% year-on-year, partly offset a 7% drop in its online marketing business.
Weakness in China’s economy, particularly the property market, has contributed to reduced advertising demand.
Baidu handled 1.65 billion daily interactions on its Ernie platform in December, up from 600 million in August. However, its US-listed shares dropped 7% in early trading after the results.
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South Korea has unveiled plans to acquire 10,000 high-performance GPUs by the end of the year, aiming to strengthen its national AI computing capabilities.
Officials emphasised that global AI competition has escalated from corporate rivalries to clashes between nations’ innovation ecosystems. Acting President Choi Sang-mok stated that public-private cooperation would be key to launching services at the country’s national AI computing centre.
The initiative comes amid the US government’s newly implemented restrictions on exporting AI chips, which categorise countries into tiers. South Korea remains exempt from these restrictions, allowing it access to advanced GPUs.
Details on the budget, specific GPU models, and private sector partners are expected to be finalised by September, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.
US-based Nvidia dominates the GPU market with an 80% share, with rivals Intel and AMD trailing behind. Meanwhile, OpenAI, supported by Microsoft, is developing its first in-house AI chip to reduce dependency on Nvidia.
Chinese startup DeepSeek has also entered the AI scene with models prioritising computational efficiency over raw processing power, potentially narrowing the technological gap with US-made processors.
As nations race to secure technological supremacy, South Korea’s move signals its commitment to advancing its AI infrastructure and staying competitive in the global AI ecosystem.
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Samsung Electronics has nominated two of its top chip executives and a semiconductor expert for its board, aiming to enhance its position in the competitive chip market. The move reflects a strategic effort to revitalise its struggling semiconductor business.
Jun Young-hyun, head of Samsung’s chip division, and Chief Technology Officer Song Jai-hyuk have been proposed for board membership. Additionally, Lee Hyuk-jae, a professor at Seoul National University and leader of its semiconductor research centre, has been named as an outside director.
Samsung has been working to regain its footing in the semiconductor industry, where it recently lost market leadership in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to rival SK Hynix. HBM chips are crucial for AI-driven GPUs, a rapidly growing market dominated by firms like Nvidia.
The nominations will be presented for approval at Samsung’s shareholders’ meeting scheduled for 19 March. The company hopes the addition of these experts will strengthen its long-term strategy in the chip sector.
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That project saw the opening of a data centre in 2023, which provides cloud services to businesses and government institutions.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk joined Microsoft President Brad Smith at a press conference to discuss the plans. The investment highlights the growing importance of cybersecurity in the partnership between Microsoft and Poland.
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Vietnam is set to adopt new regulations allowing Elon Musk’s Starlink to offer satellite internet services in the country, granting it full control over its local subsidiary. This decision follows prolonged negotiations between Vietnam and SpaceX and marks a shift in Vietnam’s policy towards foreign investment in satellite internet services. The move is seen as a diplomatic gesture towards SpaceX, which could help alleviate tensions amid concerns over potential tariffs from US President Donald Trump.
The new rules, set to be approved by Vietnam’s parliament, will allow foreign companies with low-orbit satellite networks to operate under a pilot scheme until 2030. SpaceX’s efforts to enter Vietnam had previously been stalled in late 2023 due to a ban on foreign control, a requirement for Musk’s involvement. The new regulations are part of broader efforts by the Vietnamese government to remove obstacles in technological and scientific activities.
With plans for a $1.5 billion investment in Vietnam, SpaceX has been expanding its supplier network in the country. If Starlink attracts significant local subscribers, it could help reduce the growing trade surplus Vietnam has with the US, which reached a record $123.5 billion last year. As US tariffs continue to threaten Vietnam’s export-driven economy, the government is also seeking ways to balance trade by increasing imports from the US, including agricultural products.
The shift in Vietnam’s stance reflects a desire to play a more flexible role in international trade relations, especially as tensions between the US and its trade partners escalate under Trump’s administration. The outcome of this policy change could have significant implications for both Starlink’s expansion and Vietnam’s relationship with the US.
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OpenAI is considering granting special voting rights to its non-profit board as part of new governance measures aimed at protecting the power of its directors amid a potential takeover bid from Elon Musk. The company’s CEO Sam Altman and board members are reportedly evaluating the move as OpenAI transitions to a for-profit structure. This would allow the non-profit board to retain control over key decisions, potentially blocking hostile takeovers, including Musk’s recent $97.4 billion acquisition offer.
The proposal comes after Musk’s consortium attempted to acquire OpenAI, with the company rejecting the offer, stating that it is not for sale and dismissing future bids. Musk’s bid appears to be driven by concerns over OpenAI’s shift toward profitability, as the company seeks to secure more funding to remain competitive in the AI sector. The special voting rights would give the non-profit board the ability to overrule major investors such as Microsoft and SoftBank, ensuring that OpenAI’s leadership retains influence over key decisions.
This move reflects OpenAI’s efforts to maintain control over its future direction while fending off external pressures from investors and potential acquirers. No final decision has been made yet, but the proposal is seen as a key strategy to safeguard the company’s independence as it navigates the evolving AI landscape.
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