Alibaba launches Qwen-VLo to rival ChatGPT-4o in AI image generation
The model also supports multiple languages apart from Chinese and English, making it more useful to users across different regions. While the full list of supported languages has not been revealed, the addition signals Alibaba's intention to reach a wider global audience.Another key feature that sets Qwen-VLo apart is its ability to take in more than one image at a time. In simple terms, users can upload different objects or elements and ask the model to combine them. For example, a user can upload a picture of a basket and separate images of products like soap or shampoo and ask the AI to place those items inside the basket. This feature, however, is still in development and hasn't been made fully available yet.advertisementQwen-VLo also gives users the ability to resize images into various formats — including square, portrait, and widescreen — using dynamic resolution training. The images are created step-by-step from top to bottom and left to right, which helps with better control and accuracy during generation.Alibaba has pointed out that the model is currently in its early stage, and users might experience some issues like inconsistency or results that don't fully match the instructions. However, the company says improvements are ongoing. It is also exploring the use of image segmentation and detection maps to improve the model's understanding of objects and scenes within an image.The company believes that in the future, AI models like Qwen-VLo could be capable of not just generating beautiful images, but also expressing ideas and emotions through visuals.- Ends
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Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
What India is hoping for on US deal: Up to 20% tariff differential vis-a-vis China rate
AS THE India–US trade talks enter their final decisive phase in Washington DC, policy makers here hope that three implicit assumptions of New Delhi materialise, the most important being a steady differential between the US tariffs on China and India. Despite US President Donald Trump's vacillations on trade policy, the government is confident that the administration in Washington DC will maintain a differential of 10-20 per cent in tariffs between China and countries such as India. 'The deal needs to be clinched precisely for this gap to be maintained,' an official said. The official said the US is driving hard for market access in politically sensitive sectors such as agriculture and dairy, and there are strong red lines here. But a section of officials also reckon it is important to ensure a good differential between the US tariffs on India and China, for which a deal is vital. 'The question is whether the Indian negotiators would have to settle for a limited early- harvest type of deal, or would they have to turn away from the negotiations for now, let the July 9 deadline pass, and then rebuild efforts to bridge the gaps. A full-scale deal looks out of the question for now,' another official with experience of trade negotiations said. Second, there is now a realisation that cutting tariffs across segments, especially intermediate goods, might be a net positive for India. New Delhi did back out at the last minute from signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (a trade deal among Asia-Pacific countries including China) given the sensitivities of agri livelihoods. But there is greater receptiveness now within India's policy circles to cut tariffs on some industrial goods, including automobiles, and some agri products of interest to the Americans such as apples, almonds, walnuts, avocados and spirits. There is also more openness on the GM (genetically modified) foods issue too. Also, India has headroom to import more from the US, especially in three sectors – crude, defence equipment and nuclear, to manage Trump's constant references to the trade gap. Third, there is a growing view that the baseline tariffs are here to stay. So, effectively, what India would be negotiating for is a rate between 10 per cent and 26 per cent. Prior to Trump's taking over in January, the effective US duty on India was just 4 per cent, and there were virtually no non-tariff barriers. What is more consequential today is the effective duty on Chinese products on a landed basis across US ports in commodity categories where Indian producers are reasonably competitive. The net tariff differential with India, and how that curve continues to move, is of particular interest here, given the belief that Washington DC would ensure a reasonable tariff differential between China and India. Officials said a 20 per cent differential is expected to tide over some of India's structural downsides — infrastructural bottlenecks, logistics woes, high interest cost, the cost of doing business, corruption, etc. On the face of it, Trump's announcement of 55 per cent tariffs on China on June 14 could theoretically mean a nearly 30 percentage point difference with respect to the 26 per cent on India. But there are a few caveats: for the Trump administration, whose tariff proposals generally have had a half life of less than 10 days, it is not clear how long the new tariffs announced on China after the latest round of talks between the two sides in London would last. Also, in the talks earlier in Geneva in May that led to a temporary truce, US tariffs on Chinese products were brought down to 30 per cent from 145 per cent and Beijing slashed levies on US imports to 10 per cent, while promising to lift barriers on critical mineral exports. While in a social media post, Trump claimed the US would impose tariffs on Chinese goods of 55 per cent, the catch here is that the figure included tariffs put in place during Trump's first term. So, while the 55 per cent tariff on imported Chinese goods might seem to retain a reasonable differential over the tariffs imposed by the US on India, this figure of 55 per cent crucially, includes a 25 per cent pre-existing tariff that was imposed by Trump in his first term, and that the Biden administration persisted with. The remaining components of this 55 per cent tariff are the 10 per cent baseline 'reciprocal' tariff and the 20 per cent tariff imposed initially by the Trump administration on China citing fentanyl trafficking. So, the real tariff calculation on China should ideally exclude the 25 per cent pre-existing tariff, which pretty much negates the impression of a big tariff difference with India; at least for now. The upside for India is that the trade deal under discussion with the US, which New Delhi is working to clinch before July 19, could see a further drop in tariffs from the current 26 per cent to closer to 10 per cent. The problem, though, is that China's leverage in its trade discussions with the US could mean a further downward revision in tariffs from the effective 30 per cent that was arrived upon at the Geneva talks. Though the details of the deal were still unclear, analysts predicted China seems to have gained the upper-hand after China's rare earth restrictions prompted US carmakers, including Ford Motor and Chrysler, to cut production. Ravi Dutta Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, covering policy issues related to trade, commerce, and banking. He has over five years of experience and has previously worked with Mint, CNBC-TV18, and other news outlets. ... Read More Anil Sasi is National Business Editor with the Indian Express and writes on business and finance issues. He has worked with The Hindu Business Line and Business Standard and is an alumnus of Delhi University. ... Read More
The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
The US-China dispute over fentanyl drug & why Japan is caught in the crossfire
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is a major driver of the US opioid crisis, contributing to tens of thousands of overdose deaths annually. The US-China fentanyl conflict stems from allegations that Beijing insufficiently regulates exports of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, with US officials claiming Chinese firms knowingly sell these precursors to drug cartels. He emphasised that the issue will not 'impact Japan-US relations or trade talks'. New Delhi: Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya has dismissed a report linking Japan to trafficking of fentanyl to the US amid ongoing tensions between Beijing and Washington over the fentanyl crisis. A Japan-based news platform, Nikkei Asia, in a June report, raised concerns about Firsky KK, a company registered in the Japanese city of Nagoya, allegedly linked to a Chinese trafficking network. The report suggests that fentanyl precursors were likely shipped through this base to the US. However, at a press conference on 27 June, 2025, Takeshi Iwaya dismissed the Nikkei report's implications, stating, 'Japan will never tolerate the manufacture, sale, possession, use, or unauthorised import and export of illegal drugs, including synthetic drugs.' He added, 'At this stage, I do not think this will have any impact on Japan-US relations or talks.' Japan's Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato similarly denied any significant connection to fentanyl trafficking, stating, 'No fentanyl has been seized at Japan's borders in the 6 years through 2024.' Kato clarified that this includes both finished fentanyl and precursor chemicals. According to the Nikkei report, Firsky KK, registered by Chinese national Xia Fengzhi, was linked to Hubei Amarvel Biotech, a Wuhan-based chemical producer flagged by US authorities in 2023 and January 2025 for the production of fentanyl precursors. A New York federal court convicted two of Hubei's executives in January 2025 for conspiring to smuggle fentanyl precursors into the US. The indictment revealed that Hubei advertised and sold precursor chemicals, disguising shipments as legal products, such as dog food, nuts, or motor oil. Also read: Fentanyl precursors labelled as Vit C, shipped to US, then Mexico. Inside US indictment of 2 Surat firms US response On 26 June, US Ambassador to Japan George Glass posted on X, accusing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of deliberately fueling the fentanyl crisis and emphasising the need for international cooperation to curb the trafficking of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals from China. The post suggested collaboration with Japan to halt the trans-shipment of these precursors to protect both nations. In response, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao defended his country's stance Friday, stating that China maintains the world's 'strictest rules' and the 'largest number of controlled substances'. Wu questioned the US approach, asking, 'If the US cares about the fentanyl problem, why doesn't it formally regulate all fentanyl-like substances?' The Trump administration imposed a 20 percent tariff specifically to address the fentanyl crisis, alongside other tariffs, including a 125 percent reciprocal tariff and tariffs ranging from 7.5 percent to 100 percent on Chinese imports. The total tariff rate on China reached 145 percent in some cases due to retaliatory measures. On 2 April, Trump announced a 24 percent 'reciprocal' tariff on Japanese goods—paused for 90 days to allow negotiations—alongside a baseline 10 percent tariff and a 25 percent tariff on automobiles and other goods that have remained in place. Expressing his frustration at the difficulty of penetrating Japan's auto market, Trump said in a Fox Business interview aired Sunday, 'We give Japan no cars. They won't take our cars, and yet we take millions and millions of their cars into the United States. It's not fair. And I explained that to Japan, and they understood it. And we have a big deficit with Japan, and they understand that, too.' Japanese trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa has been making frequent trips to Washington, pushing for the removal of all tariffs, including on cars. After Trump's Friday interview, Akazawa posted on X early Monday (Tokyo time) that both sides had agreed to meet again, indicating it was time for more trade negotiations. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also read: Over 560 kg cocaine seized. What we know so far about one of Delhi police's biggest drug busts
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
Innovation Takes Centre Stage: 95% of Indian Companies Rank It Among Top 3 Priorities
Amid ongoing economic and geopolitical turbulence, a new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reveals that innovation resilience is a defining trait of high-performing firms. The report, titled Most Innovative Companies 2025: In Disruptive Times, the Resilient Win, explores insights from two decades of BCG's innovation research. Based on an analysis of the firms that have appeared on BCG's annual 50 Most Innovative Companies lists since 2005, the report found a strong link between long-term innovation excellence and total shareholder return (TSR). Top innovators outperformed the broader market by 2.4 percentage points annually on average, with particularly strong gains during the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet while innovation has remained a top-three priority for 64% to 83% firms every year, many companies aren't up to the task. From 2021 to 2024, the proportion of executives who said that they see their companies as innovation leaders declined by 24 percentage points. And despite continued high R&D spending, the report found no consistent link between R&D investment and TSR. 'The ability to innovate through adversity is what separates exceptional companies from the rest,' said Justin Manly, a BCG managing director and senior partner and a coauthor of the report. 'R&D spending alone isn't enough. What matters most is investing in the right initiatives and capabilities to turn uncertainty into opportunity.' Asian Innovators Gain Prominence, Europe Falters China & India leads in innovation prioritization with 95% of its respondents' reporting innovation as a top three priority in 2024—the most of any region apart from India, which also came in at 95%. In 2005, no Chinese companies appeared in BCG's top 50 ranking. By 2023, Chinese companies held 8 of the 50 slots (16% of the total list)—including 2 of the top 10. Meanwhile, since 2005, North American companies have seen their share fall from nearly three-quarters of the list to about half, although they still represent two-thirds of all serial innovators—firms that have ranked on the list 10 or more times. In contrast, European companies have had less staying power. European companies typically rank lower on the top 50 list, and Europe also accounts for the highest share of companies that have appeared on the list only once. Compared to other regions, Europe's most innovative companies tend to skew toward industrial sectors such as automotive and pharma, rather than technology. Digital Maturity Defines Today's Innovation Leaders Digital maturity has become table stakes for innovation success. BCG's analysis of corporate earnings call transcripts found that mentions of digital innovation doubled from 2005 to 2024. The 25 serial innovators that have ranked 10+ times in the top 50 referenced digital topics nearly four times as often as their peers did. Nevertheless, digital innovation excellence remains a moving target. In 2024, AI and GenAI captured more than 80% of all venture capital investment. And agentic AI is set to raise the innovation bar again. A New C-Suite Agenda for Innovation As companies face increased geopolitical uncertainty, the report outlines four questions to help business leaders prepare for a potential post-globalization world: Ambition. How do we adjust our innovation targets as profit pools shift? Portfolio. Which projects should we prioritize, redesign, or discontinue to reduce exposure or tap into new opportunities? Talent. What talent constraints or opportunities are likely to arise? Footprint. Do our innovation centers need reshaping to build resilience? 'The best innovators don't just weather the storm—they redesign the ship while sailing through it,' said Amy MacDougall, a BCG partner and a coauthor of the report. 'This is the moment for bold action to future-proof innovation systems.' About Boston Consulting Group Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact. Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.
