How US semiconductor sanctions helped China’s AI startups – Winston Ma

 

Winston Ma

One unintended effect of the US sanctions against China’s semiconductor industry is that its AI startups have benefited greatly from them, says Winston Ma, author of The Digital War: How China’s Tech Power Shapes the Future of AI, Blockchain, and Cyberspace in the Bastille Post. 

The Bastille Post:

A prime example is the Chinese-developed DeepSeek AI chatbot, whose developer claims to have spent only a fraction of the development costs compared to companies like OpenAI. In some tests, it closely matched OpenAI’s ChatGPT model and outperformed Meta’s Llama AI model.

“You could have said that thanks to the sanction of the chips, lots of Chinese AI startups focused on developing AI applications in a more efficient way, using much fewer GPU chips than the U.S. counterparts,” said Winston Ma, author of “The Digital War.”

One area where Chinese tech companies have focused their efforts is humanoid robotics.

“[If you went to] the recent CES Las Vegas Exhibition, you will find Chinese manufacturers dominate the exhibition of smart robotics. It’s interesting that ‘Made in China’ was started when China was at the low end of the global supply chain. But after two, three decades, the Chinese manufacturing ecosystem, especially relating to electronics, has become the strongest in the world,” said Ma.

More in the Bastille Post.

Winston Ma is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Would you like him at your meeting or conference? Contact us or fill out our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more experts to manage your China risks? Do check out this list.

How sanctions on Russia might move its trade to China – Harry Broadman

 

Harry Broadman

The sanctions put on Russia because of the Ukraine crisis by the US and its allies might move Russian trade to China, says Harry Broadman, a former US trade negotiator, and World Bank official, to Reuters.

Reuters:

A review of World Bank and United Nations trade data shows that since lesser sanctions were imposed in 2014 after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea, China has emerged as its biggest export destination.

New sanctions could prompt Russia to try to deepen its non-dollar denominated trade ties with Beijing in an effort to skirt the restrictions, said Harry Broadman, a former US trade negotiator and World Bank official with China and Russia experience.

“The problem with sanctions, especially involving an oil producer, which is what Russia is, will be leakage in the system,” Broadman said. “China may say, ‘We’re going to buy oil on the open market and if it’s Russian oil, so be it.’”

More at Reuters.

Harry Broadman is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your (online) meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more strategic experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.