Tiger Brokers has integrated DeepSeek’s AI model into its TigerGPT chatbot, marking a significant step in the race to adopt AI in the financial industry. The DeepSeek-R1 model is already being used by over 20 Chinese brokers and fund managers, transforming areas such as market analysis, risk management, and client interaction. The technology, developed at a fraction of the cost of Western AI models, is expected to revolutionise how financial firms operate, with DeepSeek tapping into valuable data to enhance decision-making and trading strategies.
Tiger Brokers, supported by investors like Xiaomi and Jim Rogers, views this AI breakthrough as a game changer. The upgraded TigerGPT, which will initially be available for free in China and Singapore, now offers enhanced logical reasoning capabilities, allowing for more accurate market predictions and investment opportunities. CEO Wu Tianhua described the impact as transformative, helping users understand market shifts and boosting the overall investment experience.
As AI adoption accelerates, financial IT spending in China is forecasted to rise by 24% in the next five years, a trend expected to benefit tech companies like Hundsun Technologies. The integration of DeepSeek’s models is reshaping the financial industry, with firms such as Sinolink Securities and CICC Wealth Management already exploring AI’s potential to improve efficiency, from risk management to investment advisory services.
Despite the promise, the financial industry faces challenges in standardising data for AI models. However, companies are moving quickly to implement AI solutions, eager to unlock the full potential of their data and enhance their internal operations, marketing, and investing strategies.
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EssilorLuxottica is set to ramp up production of its smart glasses, driven by the success of its Ray-Ban Meta range developed in partnership with Meta. Since their launch in September 2023, over two million units have been sold, with growing user engagement indicating a shift towards mainstream adoption.
The eyewear giant, which has collaborated with Meta since 2019, aims to expand its smart glasses portfolio with new brands and features. The company is also considering subscription-based services and additional functionalities to enhance user experience.
To meet rising demand, EssilorLuxottica plans to increase production capacity to 10 million units annually by the end of next year. Manufacturing will be expanded across China and Southeast Asia, enabling the company to support future product releases, including the development of Nuance Audio glasses with integrated hearing solutions.
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Apple is preparing to introduce its AI features to iPhones in China by mid-year. Efforts include significant software adaptations and collaboration with local partners to meet the country’s unique requirements.
Teams based in China and the US are actively working to customise the Apple Intelligence platform for the region. Insiders suggest the launch could happen as early as May, provided technical and regulatory challenges are resolved.
Regulatory compliance remains a critical hurdle for Apple. The project reflects the company’s growing emphasis on localising its technology for key international markets, including China.
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The Trump administration is reevaluating the conditions of CHIPS and Science Act subsidies, which allocate $39 billion to boost domestic semiconductor production. Sources indicate that ongoing projects under the 2022 law are being reviewed for compliance with new policy priorities, potentially leading to renegotiations or delays.
GlobalWafers, a Taiwanese company set to receive $406 million for projects in Texas and Missouri, noted that Washington has not yet communicated any changes.
However, new White House policies are reportedly under review, including those related to unionised labour and childcare for factory workers. Each subsidy agreement has unique milestones that recipients must meet to secure funding.
Concerns over companies expanding operations in China despite receiving CHIPS funding have also emerged. Intel, for example, announced a $300 million investment in a Chinese facility after receiving substantial subsidies.
The Semiconductor Industry Association has expressed its willingness to collaborate with the Trump administration to streamline program requirements and maintain progress.
Industry giants such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel continue to navigate the shifting landscape of the CHIPS Act, with no immediate clarity on how changes will affect existing agreements. The White House has yet to respond to requests for further comment on these developments.
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The rise of DeepSeek’s AI models is offering Chinese chipmakers like Huawei a better chance to compete in the domestic market against the powerful processors from US companies like Nvidia. For years, Huawei and other Chinese manufacturers have struggled to match Nvidia’s high-end chips, which are essential for training AI models. However, DeepSeek’s focus on ‘inference’ rather than raw processing power has led analysts to believe that it could help close the gap between Chinese-made processors and their US counterparts. Inference refers to the phase where AI models use trained data to make predictions, a process less reliant on heavy computational resources.
Several Chinese AI chipmakers, including Huawei, EnFlame, and Moore Threads, have recently stated that their products will support DeepSeek models, although few details have been disclosed. Industry executives predict that DeepSeek’s open-source nature and its low fees will drive the adoption of AI, helping Chinese companies bypass US export restrictions on advanced chips. In fact, Chinese chips like Huawei’s Ascend 910B have already been recognised as better suited for inference tasks, which require less computational power than training.
Despite these developments, Nvidia still dominates the global AI chip market. Analysts point out that while Chinese chips are cost-effective for inference tasks, Nvidia’s superior chips remain the preferred choice even for inference. Nvidia’s CUDA platform, which provides developers with a robust software environment, remains a key advantage, and Chinese companies like Huawei have struggled to convince developers to abandon CUDA in favour of their platforms, such as Huawei’s Compute Architecture for Neural Networks (CANN). The software performance of Chinese AI chips continues to lag behind, making it challenging for them to directly challenge Nvidia’s dominance.
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Tencent, a leading Chinese tech giant, has won a significant copyright infringement case in a US district court. The ruling resulted in nearly $85 million in compensation after a Taiwan-based TV box firm, Unblock Tech, and its distributors were found guilty of violating copyrights on over 1,500 Tencent shows, including ‘Little Days’ and ‘Three Body Problem’.
The judgement was handed down by the US District Court for the Western District of Texas. Tencent units, including Tencent Penguin Film and Tencent Technology, brought the case against the defendants for copying, distributing, and importing the content without permission.
Neither Tencent nor Unblock Tech provided comments regarding the ruling.
Analyst Vivian Toh highlighted the challenges of addressing cross-border infringement, stating that Tencent’s success underscores its commitment to protecting intellectual property.
The win reflects the broader issue of video content piracy, which remains a persistent problem across global markets.
Tencent has also pursued similar cases in China, targeting TikTok and Douyin-owner ByteDance over unauthorised use of its content. The outcomes of those lawsuits have yet to be publicly disclosed.
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China’s spending on chipmaking equipment is expected to fall by 6% in 2025, marking its first decline since 2021, according to Canadian research firm TechInsights. The drop follows years of aggressive stockpiling as Chinese firms sought to bypass tightening US export controls. Last year, China accounted for 40% of global semiconductor equipment purchases, but its share is projected to shrink significantly.
Analysts attribute the decline to a combination of overcapacity and the impact of US sanctions, which aim to limit China’s ability to develop advanced chips with potential military applications. Despite these restrictions, companies like SMIC and Huawei have continued to push forward, achieving technological breakthroughs by relying on more expensive and labour-intensive manufacturing processes.
China has made strides in producing mature-node chips and expanding its domestic semiconductor industry, with firms like Naura Technology Group gaining global market share. However, the country remains dependent on foreign suppliers for critical tools such as lithography machines, highlighting ongoing challenges in its push for self-sufficiency.
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Dario Amodei, CEO of AI firm Anthropic, has warned that the race to develop AI is moving faster than efforts to fully understand it. Speaking at an event in Paris, he stressed the need for deeper research into AI models, describing it as a race between expanding capabilities and improving transparency. ‘We can’t slow down development, but our understanding must match our ability to build,’ he said.
Amodei rejected the notion that AI safety measures hinder progress, arguing instead that they help refine and improve models. He pointed to earlier discussions at the UK’s Bletchley Summit, where risk assessment strategies were introduced, and insisted they had not slowed technological growth. ‘Better testing and measurement actually lead to better models,’ he said.
The Anthropic CEO also discussed the evolving AI market, including competition from Chinese firm DeepSeek, whose claims of dramatically lower training costs he dismissed as ‘not based on facts.’ Looking ahead, he hinted at upcoming improvements in AI reasoning, with a focus on creating more seamless transitions between different types of models. He remains optimistic, predicting that AI will drive innovation across industries, from healthcare to finance and energy.
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The Dutch government plans to cut bureaucracy and increase investment in artificial intelligence to help the country’s tech startups thrive, Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced. His comments follow a report by TechLeap, which revealed a sharp decline in small firms securing significant funding. Despite a 47% increase in venture capital investment in 2024, the number of Dutch startups receiving more than €100,000 fell dramatically, with most funding coming from foreign investors.
Schoof, speaking at TechLeap’s annual event in The Hague, stressed the urgency of creating a business-friendly environment to attract venture capital. He warned that Europe risks being left behind by the US and China if immediate action is not taken. Eindhoven, home to chip giant ASML, has been a key driver of the Dutch economy, but the slowdown in startup growth raises concerns about long-term innovation.
Two Dutch firms, hotel software developer Mews and AI-powered auditing company DataSnipper, achieved unicorn status last year, but industry leaders remain cautious. With the government now vowing to intervene, the hope is that streamlined regulations and targeted investments will help revive the country’s startup ecosystem.
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Baidu plans to make its AI chatbot, Ernie Bot, free for all users starting 1 April. The service, which will be accessible on both desktop and mobile platforms, reflects the company’s confidence in improved technology and reduced operational costs.
China’s AI sector is heating up, with DeepSeek emerging as a notable rival. DeepSeek offers free chatbot services that it claims rival OpenAI’s advanced systems while maintaining lower costs.
Despite Baidu’s position as an early leader in AI, its Ernie Bot has struggled to gain traction, lagging behind ByteDance’s Doubao chatbot and DeepSeek in user adoption.
Baidu initially introduced premium features in late 2023, charging users for advanced search capabilities powered by Ernie 4.0. The upcoming free release of both Ernie Bot and an advanced search function marks a shift in strategy.
The advanced search feature promises enhanced reasoning and tool integration, aimed at delivering expert-level responses to users.
Ernie Bot’s latest version, Ernie 4.0, claims parity with OpenAI’s GPT-4 in terms of capabilities. By removing cost barriers, Baidu hopes to attract a larger user base and strengthen its position in the competitive AI sector.
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