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Beijing blocks Meta acquisition of Chinese AI startup Manus

Beijing blocks Meta acquisition of Chinese AI startup Manus

BEIJING, April 27 (Reuters) - China's state planner blocked U.S. tech giant Meta's purchase of Chinese artificial intelligence startup Manus on Monday, ordering the cancellation of the deal as Beijing and Washington jostle over supremacy in frontier industries.
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China Orders Meta to Unwind Acquisition of AI Startup Manus

China Orders Meta to Unwind Acquisition of AI Startup Manus

China Orders Meta to Unwind Acquisition of AI Startup Manus
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Wall Street mixed early ahead of tech earnings while Iran talks are at an impasse

Wall Street mixed early ahead of tech earnings while Iran talks are at an impasse

Trading on Wall Street was quietly mixed and oil prices crept up again as talks on ending the war with Iran remained inert
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EU and U.S. Launch Critical Minerals Partnership to Reduce Dependence on China

EU and U.S. Launch Critical Minerals Partnership to Reduce Dependence on China

The European Union and the United States have initiated a critical minerals partnership aimed at reducing reliance on Chinese supply chains. This strategic framework, formalized through a memorandum of understanding and an Action Plan, seeks to enhance supply chain resilience across sectors such as electric vehicles, semiconductors, and defense technologies. The partnership emphasizes the need for secure mineral supplies, viewing the current dependence on China as a strategic vulnerability. The agreement outlines coordinated trade measures and industrial support to favor trusted suppliers, aiming to prevent adversarial leverage in critical mineral markets.
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Global Military Spending Reaches Record High Amidst Regional Variations

Global Military Spending Reaches Record High Amidst Regional Variations

Global military expenditure reached a record $2.89 trillion in 2025, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This marks the 11th consecutive year of increased spending, driven by significant rises in Europe and Asia. The United States, China, Russia, Germany, and India were the top spenders, collectively accounting for 58% of global military expenditure. Despite global increases, the Middle East saw only a marginal rise of 0.1% in military spending, reaching $218 billion. Notably, the U.S. military budget decreased by 7.5% to $954 billion, while China's spending increased by 7.4% to $336 billion. The report highlights the ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as key drivers of these spending patterns.
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DeepSeek's new AI model does not wow markets in fast-changing industry

DeepSeek's new AI model does not wow markets in fast-changing industry

By Eduardo Baptista BEIJING, April 27 (Reuters) - Market reaction to DeepSeek's preview of its long-awaited next-generation artificial intelligence model has so far been subdued compared with the Chinese startup's outsized global breakthrough last year after the launch of its low-cost AI models.
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China's AI Advances Challenge U.S. Technological Dominance

China's AI Advances Challenge U.S. Technological Dominance

Recent developments in China's AI sector, particularly the launch of DeepSeek V4, are challenging the long-held dominance of U.S. AI firms. DeepSeek V4, launched by Chinese firm DeepSeek, significantly reduces inference compute and memory usage, prioritizing cost efficiency and scalability. This model is optimized for Huawei's Ascend chips, reducing reliance on U.S. hardware. Meanwhile, U.S. firms like OpenAI continue to lead in overall capability with models like GPT-5.5. However, the cost of deploying AI in the U.S. is rising, as highlighted by Uber's CTO, who noted that the company's AI budget was exhausted within four months. These developments suggest a shift in the global AI race, with China making strategic advances in cost-efficient models and domestic chip development.
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Super Micro Executives Indicted for Illegal Server Sales to China, Prompting Securities Class Action

Super Micro Executives Indicted for Illegal Server Sales to China, Prompting Securities Class Action

Super Micro Executives Indicted for Illegal Server Sales to China, Prompting Securities Class Action
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U.S. State Department Issues Global Warning on Alleged AI Theft by Chinese Firms

U.S. State Department Issues Global Warning on Alleged AI Theft by Chinese Firms

The U.S. State Department has initiated a global campaign to highlight alleged intellectual property theft by Chinese companies, including AI startup DeepSeek, from American AI labs. According to a diplomatic cable seen by Reuters, the initiative aims to warn about the risks associated with using AI models derived from U.S. proprietary technology. The cable outlines concerns over the distillation process, where smaller AI models are trained using outputs from larger, more expensive models, potentially lowering costs but compromising security and performance. DeepSeek, which recently launched a new AI model adapted for Huawei chip technology, has not shared its developments with American engineers, instead providing early access to Chinese firms. The State Department's actions come amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China over technological advancements and intellectual property rights.
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White House Accuses China of AI Model Distillation, Sparks Diplomatic Tensions

White House Accuses China of AI Model Distillation, Sparks Diplomatic Tensions

The White House has accused Chinese entities of engaging in large-scale campaigns to distill U.S. frontier AI systems, a process where a model is trained to replicate the outputs of a more advanced one. This accusation comes amid heightened scrutiny of Chinese AI companies like DeepSeek, which recently launched its V4 model. The U.S. government plans to share information with American AI companies to help them counter these operations. In response, the Chinese embassy in Washington has dismissed these claims as 'pure slander,' emphasizing China's commitment to intellectual property rights. The situation reflects ongoing tensions between the two nations over technological advancements and intellectual property.
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DeepSeek Launches V4 AI Model Amidst U.S.-China Tech Rivalry

DeepSeek Launches V4 AI Model Amidst U.S.-China Tech Rivalry

DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence startup, has released its latest AI model, V4, as the competition between China and the U.S. in AI technology intensifies. The V4 model, which includes 'pro' and 'flash' versions, boasts significant improvements in knowledge, reasoning, and autonomous task performance. This release is seen as a strategic move to compete with U.S. counterparts like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Notably, the V4 model is partially supported by Huawei's computer chips, reducing reliance on U.S. chipmakers such as Nvidia. The V4 model follows the release of DeepSeek's R1 model, which had previously surprised markets with its cost-effectiveness compared to similar U.S. models. DeepSeek claims that the V4 'Pro Max' version outperforms OpenAI's GPT-5.2 and Google's Gemini 3.0-Pro in reasoning benchmarks, although it falls slightly short of GPT-5.4 and Gemini 3.1-Pro.
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Former ByteDance Engineer Highlights Growing Gap Between U.S. and China's AI Industry

Former ByteDance Engineer Highlights Growing Gap Between U.S. and China's AI Industry

Former ByteDance Engineer Highlights Growing Gap Between U.S. and China's AI Industry