Category: Artificial Intelligence

DeepSeek and the New Geography of China’s AI Influence

A year after the China-based generative AI model DeepSeek made international headlines, its footprint has grown significantly, including in parts of the Global South, potentially shaping political information environments and competitive dynamics in AI adoption. Drawing on data such as Microsoft’s 

China Says It Drove Away Philippine Aircraft Over Disputed Scarborough Shoal

China’s military said on Tuesday it mobilized naval and air forces to warn and drive away a Philippine government aircraft it said “illegally intruded” into the airspace over the Scarborough Shoal, a contested South China Sea feature. Beijing urged Manila to halt what it called provocations; Philippine ...

WEEK IN REVIEW: China May Be Training an AI to Support Port Network

The first shipment of 200,000 tons of iron ore from the massive Simandou iron ore mine departed Guinea on Tuesday. The mine took years of off-and-on development and $24 billion in investment, including in port and rail facilities. Simandou has one of the largest iron ore deposits in ...

Saudi AI Startup to Ban Huawei Equipment

The head of Humain, Saudi Arabia’s artificial intelligence startup, said he is confident the United States will allow the sale of high-level AI chips. This follows a series of guarantees provided by the company to the U.S. government. They include a ...

China, U.S. to Share ASEAN Defense Table in Kuala Lumpur

Chinese and U.S. defense officials will attend the same ASEAN defense talks in Kuala Lumpur this week. The meeting is part of Malaysia's moves to gather Southeast Asian states and their partners behind 20 joint security initiatives. U.S. Defense ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

Confusing Developments in “Development”

This week I’m in Brussels, where I took part in a workshop on how the EU should shape its development strategy in response to China’s global influence.
I have joked in the past that it feels like I’ve attended this same ‘EU, Africa, and External Development Partners’ conference for ten years straight. 

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Digital Silk Road 2.0: How China Is Shaping Central Asia’s AI Ecosystem

The race for artificial intelligence supremacy is now global. As the United States and China compete to define the future of AI, their rivalry increasingly shapes how they engage with the rest of the world. Washington leans on alliances and export ...

CAEXPO Wrap: China Pitches an Operating System for ASEAN Trade

China wrapped CAEXPO in Nanning with a pitch that goes beyond product sales. The expo presented AI-ready factory “cells,” a low-speed autonomous shuttle, and a Beibu Gulf satellite. It also showcases vocational pipelines and an ACFTA 3.0 upgrade. The offer ...

China–ASEAN to Align AI Data, Launch Safety Network in 2026

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pledged to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence AI. The commitment was announced at a ministerial roundtable held during the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo last Friday. They proposed an “AI+” action plan and a ...