Tencent는 AI 사업 확대를 위한 자금 조달 목적으로 50억 달러 규모의 역외 채권 발행을 추진하는 것으로 알려졌다.
**Porsche Plans Further 5,000 Job Cuts, Returns to Combustion Engines, and Raises High-End Prices by 20%**
German luxury carmaker Porsche released its operating strategy for 2035 on October 7. Weak sales in the Chinese market have kept its performance under pressure. The plan calls for cutting up to 30% of the workforce to shrink the organization, for a cumulative reduction of about 9,000 jobs. It also calls for expanding the mid- and large-sized sports car lineup and explicitly returning to combustion-engine vehicles, with the aim of improving profitability.
Porsche said it will invest €2.1 billion (about RMB 15.8 billion) at its Zuffenhausen and Weissach plants and cut another 5,000 jobs. Job and site protections will be extended through the end of 2035. This is the second major round of workforce reductions, following the earlier plan to cut 4,000 jobs, bringing the cumulative total to 9,000.
Porsche also disclosed plans to optimize its model derivatives, reducing their number by about 20% to simplify the product line and focus on attractive premium segments. It expects the average sales volume per derivative to rise by about 30% over the medium term. The company plans to raise the average price of its high-end models by 20% and launch a new 911 derivative. (Source: Kuai Keji)
**Joseph Tsai: Open Source Is Europe's Best Path to AI**
On October 8, citing foreign media reports, Alibaba Group Chairman Joseph Tsai said the best way for Europe to reduce its technological dependence on the United States and China is open-source AI. He called on Europe to build its own computing infrastructure to train and run AI models.
Speaking on October 7 (local time) at the Wave by Vento conference in Turin, Italy, Tsai said: "No country wants to depend entirely on another country's technology. Once governments change and circumstances shift, the other side can simply cut off supply. Europe must seriously invest in computing infrastructure so that models can run, with model training and inference carried out on infrastructure based in Europe."
Tsai also described the open-source approach taken by Chinese companies such as Alibaba. "Just as a leading university opens its doors to the world and offers scholarships to students, AI progress should also be open-sourced so that more people can benefit. This also reflects a philosophical choice made by Chinese companies." By contrast, US companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic mainly offer proprietary models. Tsai was blunt: "The closed-source labs in the US no longer publish papers, because they don't want to share. They want to stay closed." (Source: IT Home, Kuai Keji)
**Tencent Considers $5 Billion Offshore Bond Issuance to Fund AI Push**
On October 8, people familiar with the matter said Tencent Holdings is considering issuing offshore bonds of up to $5 billion. The bonds may be denominated in both US dollars and offshore renminbi and could be completed as early as this month. The specific use of proceeds is unclear. Tencent has not commented.
This follows Tencent's large bond issuance in June, when it raised nearly $4.7 billion through long-dated US dollar and offshore renminbi bonds, the largest single issuance since 2020. The proceeds from this round will mainly be used to refinance corporate debt and support general operations, with a focus on AI products, services, and research and development.
According to data, Tencent's outstanding offshore bonds total about $22 billion (about RMB 147.674 billion). No public bonds mature this year, and one US dollar bond is due in 2028. To catch up with rivals such as ByteDance and Alibaba, Tencent has increased its AI investment. In the quarter ended June, capital expenditure for AI projects and computing power rose 176% to RMB 52.8 billion. (Source: Kuai Keji, IT Home)
**Manus Raises Largest Round by a Domestic Agent Startup, With Tencent as Investor**
On October 8, Butterfly Effect, the parent company of Manus, announced that it had recently completed a new funding round of more than $500 million (about RMB 3.352 billion). It is the largest single financing round by a domestic agent-native startup. The round was led by Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, with existing shareholders Tencent, Sequoia China, and Zhenge Fund continuing to participate.
On the same day, Manus posted 17 new job openings on its official website, spanning product, R&D, operations, and growth. All positions are based in Beijing.
On September 1 this year, Manus officially announced that it had resumed independent operations. Less than a month earlier, existing shareholders including Tencent, Zhenge Fund, and HSG had bought back Manus equity from Meta, at the $2 billion price Meta paid when it acquired the company. Media reports say Tencent took over Benchmark's stake and became Manus's largest shareholder. Manus plans to release several new products and features, though no launch dates have been announced. (Source: Sanyan Tech, ZhiDongXi)
**Meshy Ranks 31st on a16z's Consumer AI Top 50 as the Only AI 3D Company Listed**
On October 8, AI 3D multimodal model company Meshy announced that it had been included in the "Top 50 Consumer AI Apps by Monthly Revenue" list published by Silicon Valley venture firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Meshy ranked 31st and is the only AI 3D company on the list. It shares the ranking with OpenAI, Anthropic, Canva, Superhuman, Higgsfield, and others.
The list is one of the closely watched indicators of the consumer AI market, measuring which AI products users are willing to pay for. Meshy's inclusion shows that AI 3D has become an independent category that users are willing to spend money on.
The ranking reflects Meshy's rapid growth. The company recently announced that its annual recurring revenue (ARR) has surpassed $100 million. In July 2026, it completed a Series B round of nearly $400 million, with a post-money valuation of over RMB 10 billion. Meshy was founded by Ethan Hu, who holds a PhD from MIT, and it now has more than 15 million registered users worldwide. (Source: Kuai Keji)
**Zhongqing T800 Robot Wins Cage Bout Against Influencer, Then Event Is Halted**
On October 8, a show match billed as the "world's first human-versus-robot cage fight" drew wide attention overseas. The event was organized by REK, a San Francisco-based company, and pitted internet influencer Frankie Rapena against modified Zhongqing T800 humanoid robots inside a cage. Clips of the match spread quickly online. Rapena wore a full set of protective gear, including a helmet, boxing gloves, and knee pads, and fought three different robots in turn.
The first, a small robot, was quickly knocked down by Rapena. In the second round, the Zhongqing T800, about 1.8 meters tall and nearly 90 kilograms, entered the cage. Its kicks reportedly generate up to 385 kilograms of force. A heavy kick from the robot sent Rapena flying into the cage wall, to the shock of the audience. Rapena recovered, seized an opportunity, and pushed the robot over to win the round. In the final bout against a robot called "Predator," the long fight exhausted Rapena, and the human fighter lost.
After the event, California regulators ordered REK to halt such human-robot combat activities. The regulators determined that the event was an unpermitted cage-fighting exhibition. However, existing local law does not explicitly prohibit fights between humans and robots. REK's head said that because there is no specific law against it, the event should not be considered illegal. (Source: Kuai Keji)
**Xiaomi's Pengcheng Series Locks Over 70,000 Orders in First 30 Days**
On October 8, Xiaomi Auto reported first-month sales for the Xiaomi Pengcheng series. From September 7 to October 7, the series locked in over 70,000 orders within 30 days of launch, meaning more than 2,300 users per day lined up to buy the Pengcheng series. Lei Jun, founder, chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi, posted on social media: "Thank you to all the car owners for your support!"
The Xiaomi Pengcheng series launched at the autumn launch event on September 7 with four extended-range SUV models: the N70 Pro at RMB 209,900, the N70 Max at RMB 239,900, the N90 Max at RMB 269,900, and the N90 Max Explorer Edition at RMB 299,900. (Source: Kuai Keji)
**China Telecom Branch Accused of Forcing Unpaid Holiday Overtime; Company Responds**
On October 8, an employee of China Telecom's Dujiangyan branch in Sichuan reported that, during the 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, the company required staff to work statutory holidays without pay, refused to pay triple wages, and did not provide compensatory time off.
The employee posted the complaint on the Sichuan government's "Wenzheng" public-complaint platform. According to the post, the company used work group notices, mandatory shift scheduling, and verbal instructions to prohibit employees from taking holiday leave. The company reportedly claimed there was no voluntary overtime principle, that all staff had to report to work, and that leave and time-off requests were not accepted. It also reportedly stated, citing "industry specifics and work needs," that there would be no triple overtime pay and no time off after the holiday.
The employee said the forced, unpaid overtime during these holidays was not a one-time arrangement but a long-standing practice. Statutory holidays and rest days had routinely required staff to work without legally mandated overtime pay or compensatory leave, which the employee described as a persistent, systematic violation of labor law.
In response, a person in charge at the Dujiangyan branch said the related arrangements had been canceled, that the company did not require mandatory overtime during the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays, that all overtime was voluntary, and that triple pay for holiday overtime had been implemented. (Source: Sina Tech)
**Former ByteDance Intern Behind Controversy Raises Nearly $30 Million for World Model Startup**
On October 8, foreign media reported that Tian Keyu, a former ByteDance intern, has secured investment from Five Source Capital and other venture firms. The funding will support a stealth-mode startup that aims to challenge AI pioneers such as Fei-Fei Li in the emerging field of world models.
In 2024, during his internship at ByteDance, Tian became embroiled in controversy. He was accused of "poisoning" the company's internal models out of dissatisfaction with how team resources were allocated. The allegation was that he wrote and altered code to maliciously sabotage model training tasks for a team's research projects, causing resource losses. ByteDance sued him for RMB 8 million in compensation. At the time, ByteDance said the intern had maliciously interfered with model training for a commercial technology team and had been dismissed. It also said online claims that the incident "involved more than 8,000 cards and losses of over $10 million" were greatly exaggerated.
Tian's research lab has no name or product yet. It has raised nearly $30 million from investors including Five Source Capital, an investor in Moonshot AI, and IDG Capital, at a post-money valuation of $200 million. (Source: Ifeng Tech)
**OFILM Reportedly Exclusive Supplier of Main and 200MP Periscope Camera Modules for Huawei Pura 90 Pro**
On October 8, reports said OFILM has become a core optical supplier for Huawei's flagship Pura 90 Pro and Pura 90 Pro Max. It is the exclusive supplier of the main camera modules and the 200-megapixel periscope telephoto modules for both models. OFILM also supplies the "external" telephoto camera system.
The Pura 90 Pro Max features an oversized 200-megapixel telephoto sensor (f/2.6 aperture, optical image stabilization, and macro telephoto capability). It supports 4x optical zoom (approximate; focal lengths of 24 mm, 13 mm, and 89 mm) and 100x digital zoom.
Supply chain sources had previously said OFILM supplied several camera modules for the Pura 80 series, with exclusive supply of the main camera modules for different models. Earlier reports said OFILM currently supplies the flagship main and telephoto cameras for the Pura 90, and that it is a core supplier to DJI. OFILM has also won an order for periscope telephoto modules for the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max. (Source: LanJing Tech)
**FAW and GAC Statement: FAW Toyota Will Remain an Independent Operating Entity**
On October 8, China FAW, Toyota Motor, and GAC Group signed a new strategic cooperation framework agreement. Following negotiations among the three parties, GAC plans to acquire China FAW's 50% stake in FAW Toyota through a share issuance. After the transaction, FAW Toyota will continue to exist as an independent operating entity, and China FAW will become an important strategic shareholder of GAC.
In the next phase, FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota will jointly take on the joint venture's R&D, procurement, production, and sales functions. The cooperation is an important part of deepening ties between China FAW and GAC and will further consolidate the long-term partnership among China FAW, Toyota Motor, and GAC Group. (Source: Yicai)
**ByteDance's Doubao Launches Natively on Huawei HarmonyOS PC**
On October 8, ByteDance's Doubao launched as a native app on Huawei's HarmonyOS PC. Users can download it by searching the HarmonyOS app market. The first version includes the Doubao-Seed-2.1 Pro and Turbo models and is organized around two modes, Chat and Work.
In Work mode, users can set goals, attach files, create projects, connect local folders, and run scheduled tasks. The app also offers deep research, PPT generation, and image generation. HarmonyOS PC does not run Windows, so mainstream apps must be rebuilt natively for it, and a general-purpose AI assistant had been the most visible gap in its ecosystem. Doubao's native listing fills that gap at the AI entry point. (Source: Ifeng Tech)
**XPENG Robotaxi Officially Named "XPENG YOYO," Ride-Hailing Mini Program Goes Live**
On October 8, XPENG's Robotaxi business officially adopted the Chinese name "小鹏悠游" (XPENG YOYO in English). The same day, XPENG's official website launched a Robotaxi page, and the XPENG YOYO autonomous ride-hailing mini program went live. Public access will be rolled out later through invitation codes. The company said this marks the transition of its Robotaxi business from technical validation to user-facing operations and exploration of commercialization. (Source: Sina Tech)
**Autonomous Driving Startup Baixiniu Raises Nearly RMB 700 Million Across Rounds; SF Express Invests Three Times**
On October 8, L4 autonomous driving company Baixiniu announced that it had completed its C2 round. Its cumulative C-round financing has reached $100 million (about RMB 670 million).
The round was led by Yinshan Capital, with follow-on investment from Xiangtan state-owned capital, Shenzhen Chongtou, Hunan Caixin, Korea's Woori Financial Group, and Bozheng Capital, among others. According to Baixiniu, the funds will be used mainly for L4 end-to-end autonomous driving technology, physical AI research and development, and expansion of its urban unmanned delivery network.
Baixiniu had previously received support from industrial investors and funds including SF Express, Xinyuan Auto, Linear Capital, and Yuanhe Houwang. In May 2025, it completed a RMB 200 million Series B round led by SF Express, with participation from Xinyuan Auto and Linear Capital. In August of the same year, it completed a B+ round, with SF Express and Linear Capital following on, and new shareholders including Yijun Capital, the 360 Fund, and Huatai Zijin joining. Cumulative Series B financing reached nearly RMB 500 million. SF Express invested in Baixiniu three times within a year and is one of its key industrial investors. (Source: Chedongxi)
**OpenAI Rolls Out GPT-6 to All ChatGPT Users Worldwide**
On October 8, OpenAI made GPT-6 available to all free and paid ChatGPT users worldwide, replacing GPT-5.6 SOL and GPT-5.6 LUNA. GPT-6 incorporates safety improvements from the Astra safety technology, with stronger safeguards against misuse in cybersecurity, biological, and violence-related domains. (Source: CLS)
**Nvidia Reportedly Considers Another $1 Billion Investment in Humanoid Robot Maker Figure**
On October 8, citing foreign media reports from Wednesday, Nvidia has reportedly considered investing $1 billion in robotics company Figure AI Inc. Figure's pre-money valuation is about $38 billion (about RMB 255.073 billion). Nvidia took part in a funding round for Figure a year ago, when Figure raised more than $1 billion in total.
According to people familiar with the matter, Nvidia may seek a deal to "extend the use of its graphics processors from data centers into homes," so that users could run AI tools locally. Earlier, at the suggestion of Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, Nvidia had considered acquiring Perplexity, but the two ultimately reached a partnership agreement in August. (Source: Sanyan Tech)
**Samsung Reportedly Plans Up to 30% Smartphone Production Cut in Q4**
On October 8, reports said Samsung's Mobile eXperience (MX) division plans to sharply reduce smartphone production in the fourth quarter of this year. The division recently notified suppliers of the cuts, which are expected to be 20% to 30%.
Multiple industry sources said the main reason is continued rises in memory prices, which have made smartphones nearly unprofitable and may even be causing losses.
One anonymous source said that after including higher memory and semiconductor costs, Samsung's smartphone business now has thin profit margins or none at all, so the company must cut production to protect its overall profitability. Samsung has not officially confirmed the 20% to 30% cut. The market had previously expected Samsung's total smartphone output this year to reach as high as 270 million units. With the additional fourth-quarter cuts, full-year output may fall to just over 200 million units. (Source: CLS)
**Trump Renames AI "Superintelligence"; Musk Follows, Altman Declines to Rename OpenAI**
On October 8, it was reported that on September 29, US President Donald Trump, while meeting technology leaders including Jensen Huang, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg at the White House, officially announced that "artificial intelligence" would be renamed "superintelligence" (SI).
On October 4, Musk followed suit on social media, saying SpaceX is a superintelligence company and that SpaceXAI would be renamed SpaceXSI. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman clearly stated that OpenAI would not be renamed OpenSI. Altman argued that although the superintelligence concept is drawing growing attention, people will still habitually call it AI, so a name change would be meaningless. He had previously said on a podcast that the name ChatGPT is "terrible," but that it is now everywhere and cannot be changed, a pragmatic view of brand inertia consistent with his response to the renaming. (Source: Kuai Keji)
**EU Considers General Levy on Large Companies to Replace Digital Services Tax, Faces Hurdles**
On October 8, citing foreign media reports, the European Commission is considering a general levy on all companies operating in the EU with annual revenue above €100 million (about RMB 751 million). The levy would replace the shelved digital services tax.
The EU had planned to use a digital services tax to make large technology companies pay more tax where their business is conducted, but the approach risked retaliation from the United States, so EU-level legislation was put on hold.
Extending the levy to all industries would broaden the tax base, reduce its targeting, and help avoid US retaliation. The €100 million threshold would also help protect small and medium-sized enterprises in the EU. However, EU-level tax legislation requires the consent of all 27 member states, and each has its own economic and political concerns, so the legislative process faces a series of obstacles. (Source: IT Home)
**Amazon Cuts Fewer Than 1,000 Retail Jobs in Latest Round; Savings Flow Into AI**
On October 8, Amazon confirmed a new round of layoffs in its retail division, Stores, affecting fewer than 1,000 corporate employees. This is the latest wave in a series of cuts that began in October last year, bringing the cumulative total to more than 30,000.
According to people familiar with the matter, affected employees are based in the United States, India, and the United Kingdom and work across several business lines within Stores, including customer service, seller services, and possibly other cross-functional teams. This small round marks the tail end of the 30,000-job reduction plan. Amazon launched large-scale layoffs in October 2025 and cut about 16,000 corporate roles in one go in January 2026, completing the roughly 30,000 target. Since then, it has continued to cut staff in smaller batches, and the latest retail cuts are the most recent example.
The savings from these cuts are accelerating into AI. In April 2026, Amazon announced an additional investment of $25 billion in AI company Anthropic, bringing its total investment to $33 billion including $8 billion previously invested. Later disclosures showed that Amazon's total investment plan for Anthropic could reach as much as $65 billion, and that Amazon committed to providing at least 10 gigawatts of computing capacity. Anthropic, in turn, committed to spending more than $100 billion on Amazon Web Services. (Source: Kuai Keji)