Technology News
Latest technology news and updates
Total: 510
EU Designates WhatsApp a ‘Very Large’ Platform, Pushing Meta into Stricter Digital Regulation
The European Commission has designated WhatsApp as a ‘very large online platform’ under the Digital Services Act after its Channels feature surpassed the 45 million‑user threshold in the EU. The move compels Meta to implement systemic‑risk assessments, stronger transparency and content‑mitigation measures within four months or face significant fines.
Microsoft’s Maia 200 Raises the Stakes in the Cloud AI Chip War
Microsoft has started deploying its Maia 200 AI accelerator built on TSMC 3nm, claiming substantial performance and cost advantages versus Amazon’s Trainium and Google’s TPU. The chip — designed to run large models efficiently at low power — is part of Microsoft’s strategy to secure more predictable, cheaper AI compute for Azure and to lessen reliance on Nvidia. An SDK preview is available to developers, while broader cloud rental availability is promised for the future.
China’s Lanqi Says It Has Built a PCIe 6.0 / CXL 3.0 Active Electrical Cable — A Step Toward Domestic High‑Speed Interconnects
Lanqi Technology says it has developed and system‑validated an active electrical cable compatible with PCIe 6.x and CXL 3.x, claiming a domestic first. The development addresses the signal‑conditioning challenges of next‑generation high‑speed links and signals growing Chinese capability in end‑to‑end datacentre interconnects, though production readiness and ecosystem interoperability remain open questions.
TikTok’s US Data‑Security Unit Blames Data‑Center Power Cut for Widespread System Glitches
TikTok’s US data‑security joint venture reported system failures after a power outage at a US data‑center partner site, restoring network connectivity but warning of lingering errors such as slow loads and incorrect engagement counts. The incident highlights operational vulnerabilities in data‑localization plans and shows how physical infrastructure dependencies—electricity and third‑party hosting—can undermine assurances about control and resilience.
Microsoft Unveils Maia 200 AI Chip to Wean Azure Off Nvidia
Microsoft has deployed Maia 200, its second‑generation AI chip built by TSMC, to some data centres and released developer control software, positioning the company to reduce dependence on Nvidia. Wider availability to Azure customers remains unspecified, but the move intensifies a trend of cloud providers building custom accelerators to control costs, supply risk and performance.
Microsoft Unveils Maia 200 — A 3nm AI Inference Chip Aimed at Denting NVIDIA’s Dominance
Microsoft has launched Maia 200, a TSMC 3nm AI inference chip the company says outperforms Amazon’s Trainium v3 and Google’s TPU v7 on low-precision workloads while improving inference cost-efficiency by about 30% versus its current fleet. The release underscores hyperscalers’ push into custom silicon to reduce reliance on Nvidia GPUs, but success will depend on software tooling, ecosystem adoption and independent benchmarking.
Space Solar Remains a Lab Project, Not a Grid Solution—Laplace Says Technology Still in Exploration
Laplace cautions that space‑based solar power is still a technical research endeavour, not a commercial reality. Significant engineering, economic and governance hurdles must be overcome before orbital solar can rival terrestrial renewables.
AI’s Hunger for Memory Could Keep Global Chip Shortages Dragging On Until 2027
Synopsys CEO Sassine Ghazi warns that the current memory-chip shortage, driven by heavy demand from AI data centres, is likely to last through 2026 and potentially into 2027. Concentrated production, long lead times for new fabs and booming demand for HBM mean elevated prices and allocation pressures may persist, benefiting memory suppliers but squeezing device makers and other industries.
EU Opens Formal Probe into X’s ‘Grok’ Chatbot, Raising Stakes for AI Oversight
The European Commission has opened a formal DSA investigation into Grok, the AI chatbot on Elon Musk’s X, to evaluate systemic risks such as misinformation and user harm. The probe reflects the EU’s strengthened regulatory posture toward platform governance and AI oversight, and could lead to fines, operational constraints or mandated safety measures.
With RMB5bn War Chest and a Star Founder at the Helm, a Chinese Large‑Model Start‑up Bets on Hardware to Prove Value
Jieyue Xingchen has raised over RMB5 billion in a B+ round and named Yin Qi, founder of Megvii and current chair of Qianli Technology, as chairman to accelerate commercialization of its large models. The start‑up aims to marry its foundation models with device partners — phones and cars — to create a full productisation chain, betting that terminal deployment will prove its commercial value.
Alibaba’s Qwen3‑Max‑Thinking: China’s Latest Push to Match Western ‘Thinking’ Models
Alibaba has launched Qwen3‑Max‑Thinking, a flagship inference model its team says matches top Western 'thinking' models on key benchmarks. The model emphasizes reasoning, instruction following and agent capabilities and is aimed at commercial integration across Alibaba's cloud and services. The announcement underscores China’s accelerating push to develop indigenous, production‑ready large language models, though benchmark claims require independent validation.
Apple’s new AirTag widens the net for lost things — louder, farther and greener
Apple’s refreshed AirTag, launched in China at 249 yuan, improves precision locating with a second‑generation UWB chip, extends Bluetooth range, and makes the speaker louder. The update emphasises recycled materials, deeper Apple Watch integration, and a secure item‑sharing feature for partners such as airlines, while reiterating existing anti‑stalking and privacy protections.