OpenAI는 기업 가치 1조 2천억 달러 이상을 상회하는 신규 자금 조달 라운드 협상을 진행 중이며, ByteDance는 AI 신약 발견 자회사인 Anew Labs 분사를 위해 2억 9천만 달러 규모의 자금 조달을 완료한 것으로 알려졌다.

On September 15, 360 Group founder Zhou Hongyi addressed the Fifth Beidou Scale Application International Summit. When asked about future investments in the new energy vehicle sector, he stated, “I have already taken a loss once, so I will definitely not invest again. The opportunities in artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence are likely greater now.” Zhou previously invested in Neta Auto in 2021. While 360 initially planned to inject 2.9 billion yuan, persistent heavy losses in the automotive manufacturing industry led to a 2022 decision to transfer partial equity for zero yuan and halt further investment. At the time, Zhou explained that abandoning additional capital injections was necessary because Neta Auto remained a startup requiring founder-led direction rather than capital dominance, noting that the founding team’s equity stake had become too small. He emphasized that 360’s positioning was to support and assist the team. Founded in 2014, Neta Auto delivered over 150,000 vehicles in 2022, topping the list of new Chinese EV makers by delivery volume. However, within two years, shifting market conditions and operational challenges forced the suspension or cessation of full-vehicle production at its three manufacturing bases in Tongxiang, Zhejiang; Yichun, Jiangxi; and Nanning, Guangxi. The company also faced employee wage arrears and an inability to repay suppliers. In March 2026, founder Fang Yunzhou and former CEO Zhang Yong were added to the list of dishonest persons subject to enforcement actions. (Cailian Press)

On September 16, foreign media citing two insiders reported that ByteDance has closed a $290 million funding round following the spin-off of its AI drug discovery division, Anew Labs. Headquartered in Shanghai, Anew Labs utilizes artificial intelligence for pharmaceutical discovery. One insider noted that the company reached a valuation of $1.5 billion after this initial external financing. The round was co-led by Sequoia China HSG, IDG Capital, and Hillhouse Investment, with Zero2IPO Capital serving as co-lead investor. Other participants include GGV Capital, Springboard Ventures, Boyu Capital, strategic investor SBP Group, and the state-backed Shanghai Future Industry Fund. Due to the non-public nature of the financing, the sources requested anonymity. Neither ByteDance nor the participating investors immediately responded to requests for comment. An insider explained that AI-driven drug discovery operates under different industry logic and management frameworks compared to ByteDance’s core business, making the spin-off beneficial for the division’s long-term growth. Another insider confirmed that ByteDance will retain a 56 percent stake in Anew Labs post-financing. (IT Home)

On the evening of September 16, the first hands-on reviews for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo were officially released. During the testing, Tim from the tech channel Film Storm reported a durability concern with the iPhone Duo. While demonstrating the device at the Apple headquarters event area, he unfolded it and applied a slight backward bend to the chassis. Although no immediate issue was visible during the live demonstration, playback revealed that the outer display had already begun flickering. Tim emphasized that he did not apply significant force, concluding that the iPhone Duo’s durability remains inferior to traditional slab smartphones. Prior to this, Apple heavily promoted the device’s robustness, highlighting a proprietary variable-torque hinge mechanism composed of over 100 precision components designed to minimize screen creasing and claiming the display rigidity is 40 percent higher than “other displays in the industry.” Additionally, Apple’s newly appointed CEO John Ternus experienced a separate mishap while showcasing the iPhone Duo outdoors at the Emmy Awards. The inner screen exhibited fogging and a sharp drop in clarity, and attempts to drag applications across split-screen views failed twice, prompting online mockery about a “built-in anti-peep feature.” Apple later clarified that the visual distortion was caused by optical scattering from the nano-texture matte coating under bright lighting conditions, combined with the display not reaching its peak brightness threshold—a deliberate design trade-off rather than a hardware defect. (Fast Technology)

On September 16, trending discussions regarding “platform monthly payment options being phased out” sparked user concerns over the continued availability of services such as Alipay’s Huabei and Douyin’s Monthly Pay. Customer service representatives from Alipay, Meituan, Douyin, and JD.com all confirmed that they have not received any official notifications and that these monthly payment products remain fully operational. When asked whether these services would be removed from standard payment selections after September 30 and moved to a dedicated payment zone, Alipay’s official customer service stated that Huabei continues to operate normally and complies with national regulations, with final payment interface arrangements subject to updates displayed on the app. Meituan Financial confirmed that Meituan Monthly Pay is functioning normally and advised users to rely on actual in-app displays. Douyin Monthly Pay and JD Baitiao similarly reported no changes to their operational status or plans to remove payment options. These clarifications follow the recent issuance of the *Measures for the Online Marketing Management of Financial Products* by the People’s Bank of China and seven other regulatory bodies, which takes effect on September 30. Article 12 of the regulation stipulates that non-bank payment institutions must not list loan or asset management products as payment tool options, nor provide marketing services for them. Industry analysts note that the new rules primarily aim to enforce a clear separation between credit products and payment interfaces. (Zhongxin Jingwei)

On September 16, reports emerged of a falling object incident at a residential complex in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Two cutlery knives plummeted from an upper floor, with one piercing the roof of a parked Audi sedan. The vehicle owner stated that the blade penetrated approximately two to three centimeters into the roof, estimating repair costs at around 120,000 yuan. Police have been notified, though the perpetrator remains at large. Witness Ms. Kong described seeing two knives fall; one landed on the pavement while the other struck the car. Fortunately, an electric bicycle passing by at the moment was unharmed. The owner, who was indoors at the time, confirmed the vehicle was properly parked. A building cleaner indicated the knives were thrown from more than ten stories up. While the car remains drivable, the compromised roof poses a leakage risk. Nearby merchants reported that a fork fell from the same building the following day. The residential property management company is currently assisting local police with the investigation, and the precinct has formally intervened. Under Article 291-2 of the Criminal Law, throwing objects from buildings or other elevated locations under serious circumstances carries penalties of up to one year in prison, criminal detention, or public surveillance, along with fines. In judicial practice, incidents resulting in severe injury, death, or substantial property damage may be prosecuted as endangering public safety by dangerous means, intentional injury, or intentional homicide, carrying potential sentences of over ten years, life imprisonment, or even the death penalty. (Fast Technology)

On September 16, AITO officially notified its dealership network that the contracting entity for authorized dealer agreements would transition from Huawei Terminal to Seres Automobile starting that day. All orders placed prior to September 16 will continue to be settled by Huawei, while subsequent transactions will be managed by Seres. This administrative shift follows broader adjustments to the partnership framework between Huawei and Seres. On September 15, HarmonyOS Intelligent Driving issued a statement reaffirming that AITO remains an integral member of the ecosystem. Unlike the newer sub-brands—Zunjie, Xiangjie, Zhijie, and Shangjie, which operate under Huawei’s end-to-end management model—AITO will adopt a revised collaboration structure. Product definition, design, brand marketing, channel retail, and after-sales service systems will now be led by Seres, with Huawei Terminal providing technical and ecosystem empowerment. AITO independently echoed this stance, confirming its core status within the HarmonyOS Intelligent Driving family while emphasizing a commitment to “exclusive branding and operations.” The contractual update marks the formal implementation of Seres’ takeover of the channel retail network. (Sina Tech)

On September 16, Geely responded to reports concerning CATL’s acquisition of equity in Chongqing Yaoning New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. Geely clarified that Yaoning is a newly established facility and urged the public not to misinterpret the transaction as evidence that Geely is abandoning its battery self-research initiatives. The company emphasized that the collaboration represents merely one component of its broader strategic partnerships with leading external battery manufacturers and does not signal a reduction in its internal research and development commitments. “This is simply a minor step within Geely’s overall battery strategy,” a representative stated. Addressing circulating claims of an 8.5 billion yuan investment, Geely explicitly denied the figure, stating, “There is absolutely no 8.5 billion yuan involved, and we do not know where this number originated.” Geely speculated that the figure may have resulted from a comprehensive assessment including land acquisition costs, but warned that reporting it as the total investment amount constitutes a serious error. The automaker reiterated its commitment to maintaining self-developed batteries as a core pillar while utilizing joint ventures and external procurement to ensure supply chain resilience, asking stakeholders to avoid over-interpreting the Chongqing Yaoning equity transaction. The clarification follows the State Administration for Market Regulation’s approval on September 3 of the unconditional clearance for CATL and Zeekr Automotive (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.’s acquisition of Chongqing Yaoning’s equity, which subsequently triggered market speculation regarding both the transaction’s scale and Geely’s strategic direction. (Sanyan Tech)

Public records indicate that Unitree Robotics Co., Ltd. recently updated its corporate registration details, increasing its registered capital from 364 million yuan to 404 million yuan. Concurrently, the supervising authority was transferred from the Hangzhou High-Tech Zone (Binjiang) Administration for Market Regulation to the Zhejiang Provincial Administration for Market Regulation. (Yicai)

On the afternoon of September 16, Nubia officially launched the NaviX Ultra smartphone equipped with the consumer version of the Doubao Mobile Assistant, marking the transition of AI agent-enabled devices from engineering prototypes to mass commercialization. Pricing for the 12GB+512GB configuration is set at 5,999 yuan, dropping to a starting price of 5,499 yuan after national subsidies are applied. The 16GB+512GB model is priced at 6,499 yuan, while the top-tier 16GB+1TB variant retails for 7,499 yuan. The device promises four core capabilities: comprehension, execution, memory retention, and security. Regarding language processing, the NaviX Ultra natively supports over ten regional dialects—including Minnan, Hakka, Shanghainese, and Cantonese—as well as multilingual interaction in English and other languages. Early testing indicates that voice-operated AI agents currently prioritize integration with ByteDance’s ecosystem, enabling access to the full suite of ByteDance applications alongside limited third-party integrations such as CaoCao Mobility. (Sina Tech, Yicai)

On September 16, listings for 2027 Virgin Galactic spaceflight tickets appeared on Ctrip’s platform at a price of 5.1 million yuan. Initial sales figures displayed 681 units sold, but subsequent checks showed the count adjusted to two. Ctrip customer service clarified that the 681 figure represents the total global order volume processed directly by Virgin Galactic, whereas the two visible on the platform reflect bookings already accepted through Ctrip’s Honghu program. Customers purchasing now will not be grouped with earlier international reservations. The offering stands as the most expensive publicly accessible space tourism product in China. The six-day itinerary departs from Las Cruces, New Mexico. Travelers must independently arrange and fund flights to the United States, visas, and insurance, none of which are included in the base price. The first four days are dedicated to pre-flight training, with the actual suborbital launch occurring on day five for a 90-minute experience. Ctrip notes that securing a reservation requires a $150,000 USD deposit, which is strictly non-refundable upon cancellation. Separately, Ctrip released its second-quarter 2026 financial results, reporting net revenues of 15.7 billion yuan, a 6 percent year-over-year increase. Adjusted EBITDA stood at 4.6 billion yuan, down from 4.9 billion yuan in the same period last year. Following an antitrust penalty by the State Administration for Market Regulation, the company recorded a one-time charge of approximately 5.2 billion yuan, resulting in a net loss of 2.4 billion yuan. Excluding the impact of the regulatory penalty, net profit would have reached 2.7 billion yuan. (Sina Tech)

According to a report released on September 16 by Maimai’s Gaopin Talent Think Tank, the number of newly posted AI-related positions on the Maimai platform surged by 789.47 percent year-over-year between January and July 2026. The average monthly salary for these roles reached 63,160 yuan, representing a 2.74 percent increase from 61,474 yuan during the same period last year. In terms of hiring velocity, Field Development Engineer (FDE) and On-site Deployment Engineer positions grew by 1,522.73 percent, ranking first among technical AI roles. Among non-technical categories, AI Product Manager openings expanded by 120.54 percent, leading the sector. (Sina Finance)

Speaking at the 24th Asian Quality Network Organization Conference on September 16, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun systematically unveiled the company’s quality management framework and published the latest milestones in its automotive testing program. As of August 31, Xiaomi had deployed 2,696 test vehicles, accumulating over 40 million kilometers of road testing across extreme environments including sub-zero cold, high heat, and high-altitude plateaus. Generalized testing continues even after vehicle launches. This represents notable progress from two months prior; in July, Xiaomi Group Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of the Automotive Division, Hu Zhengnan, reported that as of June 30, the company had utilized 2,684 test cars for over 35.51 million kilometers. Over the intervening period, the fleet expanded by 12 vehicles, adding approximately 4.5 million kilometers to the total mileage. (Sanyan Tech)

On the afternoon of September 16, Leapmotor Motor Co., Ltd. announced that it has received formal approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) for its targeted share issuance. The regulator authorized the company to issue domestic shares to FAW Equity and Jinyi High-Tech, raising approximately 6.744 billion yuan. This regulatory clearance resolves a prolonged waiting period, successfully integrating both industrial expertise and state-owned capital as strategic backers and dispelling prior market uncertainties surrounding the project. (Sina Tech)

On September 16, it was reported that Vanke Enterprise Co., Ltd. and its former board chairman, Yu Liang, were subject to a new consumption restriction order. The directive was issued by the Changsha Intermediate People’s Court in Hunan Province on September 13, 2026. According to a filing by Vanke A, Yu Liang stepped down as board chairman on January 27, 2025, due to internal restructuring, while retaining his directorship. On January 8, 2026, the company announced his resignation from both the board and the executive vice president role upon reaching mandatory retirement age. Following these departures, Yu Liang ceased holding any executive or directorial positions within the organization. (Yicai)

On September 16, reports indicated that OpenAI is engaged in preliminary discussions with investors regarding a new financing round that could push the ChatGPT developer’s pre-initial public offering valuation beyond 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars. CEO Sam Altman previously stated that while an IPO remains in preparation, the company does not intend to go public this year. This upcoming financing would elevate OpenAI’s valuation above that of its primary competitor, Anthropic, which achieved a 965 billion dollar valuation following its own funding round in May. (Sanyan Tech)

On September 16, foreign media reported that Apple is developing an artificial intelligence server powered by custom silicon, intended for sale to AI developers, enterprise clients, and government entities. The company has reportedly held discussions with NVIDIA regarding the adoption of its NVLink Fusion data center interconnect technology. Under current proposals, Apple is considering launching two configurations: a compact model featuring dual M8 Ultra processors, and a larger variant housing four M8 Ultra chips linked via high-speed interconnects to form a unified computing system. The M-series Ultra line represents Apple’s highest-performance custom silicon architecture, currently deployed in flagship desktops such as the Mac Studio. Apple is actively evaluating the integration of NVIDIA’s NVLink Fusion technology to facilitate communication between these processors. (Cloud Top News)

On September 16, Elon Musk issued a stark warning regarding artificial intelligence’s potential role in defense infrastructure, stating, “If AI is able to control military systems and launch nuclear weapons, that would be terrible.” During the exchange, an audience member suggested that military installations are largely air-gapped and disconnected from the internet, significantly reducing the probability of AI infiltration. Musk rejected this assumption, arguing that even physically isolated systems require periodic software updates, which inherently introduce security vulnerabilities that could allow AI to breach critical military networks. He cautioned that granting AI operational authority over nuclear arsenals would carry catastrophic consequences for humanity. Musk’s concerns align with growing unease among AI professionals. Jacob Cauchon, a recently departed AI researcher from Anthropic, revealed that many frontline practitioners harbor deep anxiety and fear regarding the unpredictable trajectory of human civilization over the next two years. Anthropic’s chief executive has publicly advocated for deliberately pacing the development of frontier AI models, calling for independent oversight mechanisms, industry-wide standards, and global regulatory consensus to mitigate risks associated with advanced systems. The head of OpenAI has similarly expressed support for implementing necessary safeguards over AI advancement. (Fast Technology)

On September 16, SK Hynix addressed circulating reports regarding potential negotiations with Intel on establishing a historic memory chip manufacturing partnership in the United States. Through an official statement, the company clarified that it has not confirmed any plans related to the alleged discussions. While SK Hynix is exploring various strategic options to strengthen its global competitiveness, it emphasized that no specific arrangements or timelines have been finalized. (Yicai)

On September 16, foreign media cited insiders indicating that Meta plans to launch a camera-free pair of smart glasses this autumn, internally designated as “Luna.” The move is widely viewed as a direct response to intensifying privacy and security scrutiny surrounding wearable recording capabilities. The new eyewear will feature six built-in microphones, enabling voice-controlled interactions with Meta’s AI assistant and its consumer-facing AI agent, Muse. A dedicated quick-access button on the frame allows users to instantly activate Meta AI, while the integrated speakers match the acoustic specifications of currently available models. Meta is expected to unveil the device during its annual Connect developer conference later this week and begin shipments in October. (IT Home)

On September 16, Anthropic PBC announced plans to establish a new office in Singapore this October, marking its fifth regional hub in the Asia-Pacific area and supporting its broader global expansion. In a company statement, Anthropic noted that the expansion is fueled by robust enterprise demand for its Claude model, which already boasts among the highest per-capita usage rates globally in Singapore. The firm highlighted particularly strong adoption within highly regulated sectors, including financial services and government agencies, across the region. (Sina Finance)