Latest news with #iFlytek
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
iFlytek unveils medical AI, smart classroom tech in Hong Kong amid global push
Chinese voice recognition giant iFlytek has launched a series of artificial intelligence (AI) products in Hong Kong, where its new international headquarters will support its global expansion, as the firm doubles down on a commitment to home-grown computing infrastructure amid tightened US chip restrictions. iFlytek is making an upgraded international version of its Spark medical large language model (LLM) V2.5 available to organisations in Hong Kong, aiming to assist medical professionals in diagnosis and treatment, with language support for Cantonese and English. It has also launched a Hong Kong version of its healthcare chatbot app Xiaoyi for consumers in the city, the company said on Tuesday. iFlytek also announced the Hong Kong roll-out of products including a smart blackboard for classrooms, and a meeting transcription and translation solution that lets users switch freely among Cantonese, Putonghua and English. Hong Kong would be a launch pad for the company's global expansion in the future, founder and chairman Liu Qingfeng said on Tuesday. 'Hong Kong is not merely a market for iFlytek,' Liu said. 'It is instead our base for innovation and internationalisation.' An aerial photo shows a view of Hong Kong island on May 19, 2025. Photo: AFP The city would play a major role in iFlytek's medical AI efforts, as it offered English-language medical data, and the overseas training of some local doctors could help improve the capabilities of its medical LLM, Tao Xiaodong, president of iFlytek Healthcare, said.
South China Morning Post
11-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Tech war: Huawei founder Ren's remarks illuminate China's strategy to overcome US curbs
Recent comments from Huawei Technologies founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei regarding US chip restrictions have shed light on China's strategies to overcome Washington's sanctions, according to analysts. Advertisement In a front-page interview published on Tuesday by the People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, the 80-year-old Ren expressed confidence that there was no need to worry about China's access to advanced chips, asserting that the nation could achieve computing capabilities comparable to the best in the world, even though its individual semiconductors still lagged 'one generation' behind those from the US. His remarks came amid widespread speculation on whether China has successfully defied US restrictions by secretly developing a self-sufficient semiconductor supply chain, even though it lacks access to advanced chip manufacturing tools like the lithography systems produced by Dutch company ASML. Ren's view aligns with those of industry insiders suggesting that Huawei's artificial intelligence (AI) chips, enhanced by improved software and algorithms, can deliver adequate computing power to support China's tech development. President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Huawei's Ren Zhengfei during a meeting with entrepreneuers in Beijing in February. Photo: Xinhua Liu Qingfeng, chairman and founder of Chinese voice recognition company iFlytek, said recently that the training efficiency of Huawei's Ascend 910B chips used by his company had surged to 73 per cent of Nvidia's A800 processors, up from just 25 per cent at the end of last year. Advertisement Huawei's initiative to leverage its engineering expertise to address the limits in single-chip performance is evident in its CloudMatrix 384, a comprehensive AI accelerator and rack-scale architecture solution unveiled in April.
South China Morning Post
11-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Tech war: iFlytek says using local chips in AI models extends development time by 3 months
A senior Chinese tech executive admits that using mainland-produced semiconductors could delay the development of artificial intelligence (AI) models by three months, but insisted that his company would continue to use these chips and push improved processes. Liu Qingfeng, chairman and founder of Chinese voice recognition solution provider iFlytek, said that the extended AI model development process was due to the need for additional computing resources, compared with using Nvidia chips and their mature software ecosystem. In a statement posted on the company's official channel on WeChat, Liu said iFlytek was likely 'the only Chinese AI model developer that insisted on using domestic chips', including the Ascend 910B developed by Huawei Technologies, 'to avoid the risk of losing access to imported chips'. However, the company, based in Hefei, Anhui province, has been barred from purchasing advanced US chips since it was added to the US Entity List in October 2019. The iFlytek booth at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain March 4, 2025. Photo: Reuters According to Liu, when benchmarked against the A800 by Nvidia, the training efficiency of the Ascend 910B has increased to 73 per cent, up from 25 per cent at the end of last year.
New Straits Times
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Malaysia seeks strategic ties with China's Anhui in digital, green tech, palm oil
HUANGSHAN: Malaysia is seeking to forge strategic partnerships with China's Anhui Province in the digital economy, green technology and palm oil sectors under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) framework to expand future-oriented regional cooperation. Malaysia's former Special Envoy to China, Tan Kok Wai, said the RCEP has created a conducive platform for deeper bilateral engagement, particularly in innovation-led industries such as e-commerce, electric vehicles (EVs), clean energy and digital infrastructure. "Malaysia is ready to collaborate with Anhui's forward-looking enterprises to shape the next chapter of high-quality development," he said at the 2025 RCEP Local Governments and Friendship Cities Cooperation (Huangshan) Forum held here today. Digital and clean energy cooperation in focus Highlighting Malaysia's efforts to grow its digital economy, Tan said Malaysia welcomes participation from Anhui's top firms, including Sungrow Power and iFlytek, in projects related to green data centres and smart city development. "Penang and Malacca are currently being developed as pilot smart cities, and Malaysia also aims to position itself as an ASEAN data hub – a move that could benefit from technological collaboration with Chinese innovators," he said. He noted that strengthening interoperability between Malaysia's Touch 'n Go and China's Alipay would also accelerate cross-border digital payment systems, improving trade and tourism flows. On the clean energy front, Tan said Malaysia is positioning itself as a regional EV hub and hopes to work closely with Anhui's automotive powerhouses such as Chery Group, JAC Motors and NIO. "Proposed areas of collaboration include the development of a nationwide EV charging network through public-private partnerships, the establishment of a right-hand-drive vehicle manufacturing base to serve the ASEAN region, as well as investment in advanced battery research and development," he said. Moreover, Tan, who is also the ASEAN Honourable Advisor of United World Chinese Association, expressed that Malaysia is keen to tap into Gotion High-Tech's expertise in battery labs to build a strong ecosystem for green mobility. Boosting palm oil innovation and agri-tech exchange As the world's second-largest producer of palm oil, Tan said Malaysia is looking forward to attracting more Chinese investments in downstream processing and high-end oil product innovation. Malaysia exported RM10.57 billion worth of palm oil and related products to China in 2024, accounting for more than half of its bulk commodity exports to the country. He encouraged companies such as COFCO Anhui to collaborate with Malaysian suppliers to upgrade refining capacity and penetrate high-value segments of the Chinese market. "Likewise, Malaysia also looks to leverage Anhui's agricultural technologies to enhance its tropical fruit processing capabilities, particularly in durians and pineapples, while boosting exports of niche products like bird's nest and coconut milk to meet rising Chinese demand," he said. RCEP as a catalyst for trade and industrial park upgrades On the RCEP, he said the framework, which came into force in Malaysia in March 2022, has significantly reshaped regional trade flows and reduced barriers. Over 67.9 per cent of goods traded between Malaysia and China currently enjoy zero-tariff treatment, not only in traditional agricultural and industrial goods but also in expanding sectors like services and digital trade. Bilateral trade between China and Malaysia hit a record US$212.04 billion in 2024, marking an 11.4 per cent year-on-year increase. Tan further noted that a study by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) projects that the RCEP could contribute up to 0.8 per cent to Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030. He also called for greater cultural, tourism and educational exchanges between Malaysia and Anhui, and proposed the launch of a direct flight route between Kuala Lumpur and Hefei to support tourism and ease business travel. Touching on industrial cooperation, Tan emphasised the need to upgrade the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park and China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park under the 'Twin Parks 2.0' strategy. "This next phase of development will focus on strengthening cross-border industrial chains in sectors like EVs, bird's nest processing and photovoltaic components," he said. He also highlighted the expansion of Kuantan Port to accommodate vessels of up to 180,000 tonnes, a move that will enhance its position as a strategic node in the China-ASEAN Land-Sea New Corridor. For long-term success, Tan urged companies to localise their workforce, adopt strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, invest in smart manufacturing and actively engage in cross-party dialogue and policy advocacy to manage political and regulatory risks. "As we mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China, we are tasked with forging the next Golden Fifty Years," he added.
New Straits Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Ramssol to distribute iFlytek's AI solutions under RM16.8mil deal
KUALA LUMPUR: Ramssol Group Bhd has signed a partnership agreement worth RM16.8 million over three years with China-based artificial intelligence firm iFlytek. Ramssol is appointed as the authorised distributor and reseller of iFlytek's AI software solutions via the iFlytek open platform throughout Asia. The platform is recognised for its capabilities in areas such as speech recognition, machine translation and natural language processing, offering AI-driven solutions that support digital transformation across various industries. Ramssol said the partnership represents a key step in its regional expansion strategy, allowing the company to deliver enterprise-grade AI applications customised for multilingual markets. It added that the partnership aligns well with the Asean Responsible AI Roadmap (2025–2030), which outlines regional goals for promoting the responsible and inclusive adoption of AI technologies. Group chief operating officer Brian Liew said the collaboration represents a significant advancement in Ramssol's AITech capabilities and underscores the company's dedication to expanding access to cutting-edge AI solutions across Asia.
