7 h. ago EU hits Musk’s X with US$140 million fine, risking Trump’s ire

The European Union hit Elon Musk’s X with a €120 million (US$140 million) fine on Friday for breaking its digital rules, in a move that risks a fresh clash with US President Donald Trump’s administration. The high-profile probe into the social media platform was seen as a test of the EU’s resolve to police Big Tech. US Vice-President J.D. Vance fired a warning against “attacking” US firms through “censorship” before the penalty was even made public. Imposing the first fine under its powerful...

Events

14 h. ago China’s Xiaomi says returns from AI investments ‘far exceed expectations’

Chinese tech firm Xiaomi reaped returns from its artificial intelligence spending in 2025 that “far exceeded expectations”, the company’s president Lu Weibing said in a recorded video posted on Chinese social media platform Douyin. Lu said the Beijing-based company was pivoting to embodied AI after heavy investment in general AI over the past few quarters. The Beijing-based company’s efforts to apply AI in electric vehicles (EVs) and robotics are similar to Elon Musk’s plan of using the advanced...

Politics

62 h. ago Elon Musk reiterates aim to transform X into a ‘WeChat++’ super app

Elon Musk says he aspires to transform his social media platform X into “WeChat++”, akin to Tencent Holdings’ flagship super app, by integrating various social and finance features. On a recent People by WTF podcast hosted by entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, Musk cited the extensive utility of WeChat as a model for X – previously known as Twitter, which he bought for US$44 billion in October 2022. “You can exchange information, you can publish information, you can exchange money,” Musk said,...

Politics

9 d. ago China’s private defence firms; Beijing sets yuan fix: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China’s private defence companies see opportunities amid growing conflicts Escalating global conflicts could create opportunities for China’s private defence companies as customers, both at home and abroad, seek affordable and reliable military equipment, according to industry insiders. 2. Why China’s space sector is grabbing attention – including from Elon...

Economics

9 d. ago China's space agency unveils plan to boost commercial sector, global cooperation

China's space agency unveils plan to boost commercial sector, global cooperation  news.cgtn.com

Politics

1 week ago Why China’s space sector is grabbing attention – including from Elon Musk

On Saturday, the Beijing-based start-up LandSpace reportedly plans to conduct the maiden launch of its Zhuque-3 rocket – a reusable launch vehicle that could significantly boost China’s space industry by lowering the cost of lifting equipment such as satellites into orbit. The prospect of China mastering reusable rockets – a technology pioneered by US-based SpaceX – has attracted significant attention from aerospace experts, and even drew comment from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk last month. Beyond the...

Technology

2 w. ago As Elon Musk plans a robot army, China’s humanoid bots are already on the market

As Elon Musk plans a robot army, China’s humanoid bots are already on the market  Los Angeles Times

Technology

2 w. ago Ronaldo, Musk attend Trump’s White House dinner with Saudi crown prince

Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and billionaire Elon Musk were among the guests at a lavish White House dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump for the visiting Saudi crown prince on Tuesday. Ronaldo plays for Saudi club Al Nassr, one of a number of ageing players who have been attracted to the desert kingdom’s heavy spending on stars despite its rights record. The 40-year-old, whose contract with the Saudi club ends this summer, took his place near the head of Trump’s table a...

Politics

3 w. ago Tencent expands into AI ‘world models’ as tech giants chase spatial intelligence

Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings is laying the groundwork for what many see as the next frontier of artificial intelligence by investing in “world models” that simulate the physical environment, according to its head of 3D generation and world modelling. China’s most valuable tech conglomerate joins a fast-growing cohort that includes Google DeepMind and Elon Musk’s xAI in exploring “spatial intelligence”, which some experts have described as “AI’s next great frontier”. On Wednesday, AI...

Politics

3 w. ago Uncommon Knowledge: What a Russian AI Robot Says about Elon Musk and China

Uncommon Knowledge: What a Russian AI Robot Says about Elon Musk and China  Newsweek

Technology

4 w. ago Elon Musk Says Tesla FSD May Roll Out In China Next Year — Can It Beat Xpeng, Baidu and Local Rivals?

Elon Musk Says Tesla FSD May Roll Out In China Next Year — Can It Beat Xpeng, Baidu and Local Rivals?  Stocktwits

Politics

4 w. ago Tesla shareholders approve US$1 trillion pay package for Elon Musk

Tesla shareholders approved a US$1 trillion compensation package for Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, the largest payout ever awarded to a corporate leader. The unprecedented move was announced on Thursday at the electric vehicle maker’s annual meeting, culminating a weeks-long campaign by the board, the CEO and prominent retail investors to build support. The pay agreement clears a path for Musk, the world’s richest person, to become the first ever trillionaire and expand his stake in Tesla...

Economics

4 w. ago Tesla shareholders approve stratospheric US$1 trillion Musk pay package

Tesla shareholders on Thursday overwhelmingly endorsed a massive pay package for CEO Elon Musk that could reach US$1 trillion. The pay package - crafted to ensure Musk’s continued service to Tesla as the company pursues breakthrough technology on artificial intelligence and robotics - won more than 75 per cent support from shareholders, a Tesla official said at the company’s annual meeting. “I’d like to just give a heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported the shareholder votes,” a euphoric...

Economics