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Chinese artist Ai Weiwei unveiled a series of Lego portraits of 43 Mexican students who were allegedly abducted and massacred on their way to stage a protest in 2014. The multicolored, pop-art portraits were made with around one million Lego blocks, and are displayed above a timeline that chronicles the case of the …
European robots maker ABB is betting on China - the world’s largest industrial robot market - to build its biggest factory yet. Set to open in 2020 in Shanghai, it will churn out 100,000 robots annually – a quarter of the total global production capacity in 2017.
Chief News Editor Yonden Lhatoo explains why the next big export for tech-savvy South Korea may be the dirty business of “molka” or secret camera porn, rather than more squeaky clean K-pop idols.
The University of Minnesota has suspended ties with Chinese tech giant Huawei in February, shortly after ending a nearly 10-year relationship with the Confucius Institute, a Chinese government programme promoting its language and culture overseas. As China-US relations hit a new low, Washington accuses Beijing of us…
A robotic is busy offering Buddhist teachings and sermons at the Kodaiji Temple in Kyoto, Japan.
From plum blossoms to magnolia blooms and crab apple flowers, the spring season has arrived early in gardens and botanic parks across Guangdong and other provinces in southern China. Unusually warm temperatures have accelerated the pace of the seasonal change, despite snow still blanketing many other areas of the co…
These are the 2019 Super Bowl commercials from Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Doritos, Pringles, Planters, Stella Artois, Budweiser, Michelob, Skechers, Febreze, Colgate, Hyundai, Burger King, Microsoft, Bud Light, The Washington Post and Google.
When Emma Yang learned her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, she was determined to use her coding skills to create an app that would empower patients suffering from the disease. Emma is now the founder of 'Timeless,' a STEM advocate and an award-winning innovator at the age of 14.
Sony has released a robotic dog that is meant to do scheduled checks on family members who are at home alone. Starting next month, the Japanese electronics giant plans to partner with home security company Secom to offer the dogs as part of a three-year service package costing about US$3,000. Clients will be able to…
Chinese tech giant Alibaba has unveiled what it calls a hotel of the future in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Open to the public since December 2018, the 290-room hotel is called FlyZoo, a name playing on a Chinese phrase meaning “it’s a must to stay here”. Guests can check in and unlock hotel rooms with facial-recogn…
Hong Kong researchers are developing a soft magnetic robot that moves like a caterpillar on hair-like legs to deliver drug treatments. The device being developed at City University of Hong Kong can be cut into various shapes and sizes, and ultimately will be miniaturised to travel along blood vessels in human patien…
Vlastimil Gular’s life took a turn for the worse one year ago when minor surgery on his vocal cords revealed throat cancer. Doctors had to remove his larynx, and with it, his voice. But the 51-year-old father of four is still chatting away using a recreation of his own voice rather than the tinny timbre of a robot –…
The South China Morning Post's tech reporters Li Tao and Sarah Dai headed out on the streets of Las Vegas to see how much average people in the United States know about Chinese smartphone brands. Chinese electronics manufacturers were among thousands exhibiting their latest products at CES, a global technology event…
California-based Chinese tech firm Royole showcased the world's first foldable smartphone, the Royole FlexPai, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. The FlexPai could be just the first of many bendable devices to be released this year. Major brands like Samsung and Huawei are already promoting dev…
French tech company Sigfox has developed a tiny tracker that can be inserted into the horns of rhinos to help conservationists monitor and protect the endangered species. Fewer than 30,000 rhinos are left in the wild. The animals are hunted for their horns, which are mainly used in scientifically unproven traditiona…
Apple cut its quarterly revenue expectations for the first time in 16 years. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, blamed it on China’s economic slowdown and trade tensions with the US. Shares dropped nearly 10 per cent the following day. Some consumers in China say the high cost of iPhones and increasing competition from local br…
University canteens in China are using an automated checkout system that can help diners work out how meals will affect their waistlines as well as their wallets. The Aeye-Go system developed at Shanghai’s Jiao Tong University uses artificial intelligence to recognise food as it tallies up the number of calories and…
The China-US relationship began to suffer in early 2018, with tit-for-tat tariffs that would develop into a major trade war. That tension was reflected in bilateral disputes over control of the South China Sea, as well as claims about spying and tech companies. As the year drew to a close, optimism about a trade-war…
A Hong Kong company has developed a hi-tech vertical vegetable farm that could help revive the city’s fast-disappearing traditional agriculture. Farm66 uses modern LED lights and aquaponics in a 20,000 sq ft air-conditioned vertical farm. Sensors help control conditions to provide an ideal environment for the annual…
China’s largest online music entertainment platform, Tencent Music Entertainment, debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on December 12, 2018. Betty Liu, the NYSE executive vice chairman, told South China Morning Post that US investors are still bullish on Chinese tech IPOs despite trade tensions. She also said that…
A second Canadian has been detained in China on accusations of “endangering national security”. China confirmed on December 13 that Michael Spavor, a businessman who runs tours from China to North Korea, is being held for investigation. Chinese authorities detained Michael Kovrig, another Canadian and former diploma…
Google CEO Sundar Pichai told a US congressional panel that his firm has “no plan” to relaunch a search engine in China. However, he admitted that the tech titan has been studying the feasibility of a return to China, where Google’s search platform has been blocked by the government since 2010.
Artificial intelligence (AI) news presenters appearing on screen for some of China’s state television programmes have been modelled on flesh-and-blood anchors, including Qiu Hao. Now the Xinhua news agency says it plans to expand its team of AI newsreaders, despite questions about whether they will ever be able to r…
Elephants that once lived in captivity are being treated at India’s first elephant hospital. Many were abused and developed health problems, but at the charity-run hospital, they are healed with hi-tech medical instruments before being transferred to a conservation and care centre.
Chinese hot pot chain Haidilao has opened its first AI-operated restaurant in Beijing, this is what it looks like.
Rescuers have been trying to locate a sunken bus since it plunged into the Yangtze River after crashing into a car. Over 10 people were believed to be on the bus. Two people have been confirmed dead. The driver of the car is being treated in hospital. Recovery progress has been hampered due to low visibility and dif…
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
China wants to accelerate its artificial intelligence efforts and catch up with the rest of the world by 2020.
Luisa Tam demonstrates the many situations where the Cantonese phrase “ai yah” can be used.
Jack Ma, Executive Chairman of Alibaba, talks about the relationship between AI and humans in the World Artificial Intelligence Conference.
On September 10, 2019, Alibaba co-founder and chairman Jack Ma will hand over the reins to Daniel Zhang, currently the company’s Chief Executive Officer. The South China Morning Post takes a look at how Zhang earned his position as heir to one of the world’s largest tech companies.
The Blackmagic eGPU is a convenient hassle free option that allows mostly Apple users who edit video and play graphics intensive video games to consider smaller lighter though less powerful laptops to stay mobile, but still get the video processing horsepower when at their desk.
This robot uses artificial intelligence to mimic the movements of human brewers and make Hong Kong style milk tea. KamchAI made its debut at an international milk tea competition in Hong Kong, bagging the Best Newcomer Award. Karen Wong, vice president of the Association of Coffee and Tea of Hong Kong, and Ip Tat Sa…
Chinese kindergarten students giggle as they solve puzzles assigned by their new teaching assistant: a roundish, short machine with a screen instead of a face. In China, robots are being built to deliver groceries, provide companionship for the elderly, dispense legal advice and become teachers.
More than 160 firms are showcasing their cutting-edge robots at the annual World Robot Conference, currently underway in Beijing. Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He gave an address at the conference where he urged international collaboration in robotics.
A Beijing art studio belonging to Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei was torn down on August 4. Ai said this was done without notice. The rental contract for the space expired last year, but it wasn't possible to move all the items out at the time, due to the large quantity and size of the artworks in the space. The…
Sources said Google plans to return to the Chinese market, which it abandoned eight years ago due to censorship concerns, by launching a censored version of its search engine that will block some websites and search terms.
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
Singapore-based company Grab has become the biggest tech unicorn in southeast Asia, with a valuation of over US$10 billion. What started as a ride-hailing service has grown to include food delivery and e-payments. And now it's looking to expand even further. Grab CEO Anthony Tan spoke to the South China Morning Post.
WMDOLL, one of China's biggest sex doll makers, is selling what it calls AI-powered dolls that offer features ranging from simple conversation to moving eyes, arms and torsos.
How big a role will news editors play in the future of media, and what role will algorithms play in news? At Hong Kong’s RISE conference, South China Morning Post CEO Gary Liu discussed the issue with Google news labs lead, APAC, Irene Jay Liu and Altimeter Capital partner Ram Parameswaran.
Sophia, a robot developed in Hong Kong, talked to the South China Morning Post about innovation. She also talked to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor about turning the metropolis into a smart city.
A toll booth worker in China’s Jiangsu province has become an internet sensation for his robotic smile and gestures.
At a tech conference in Tianjin, Foxconn CEO Terry Gou pledges to invest in the port city near Beijing.
A new robot arm with glove controllers was displayed at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Entrepreneur Day.
A research team from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University has developed a pair of robotic arms to solve one of the “hardest tasks on earth” - assembling IKEA furniture. The robotic arms can build an IKEA Stefan chair frame in just over 20 minutes, as it brings different parts together with the help of the pr…
The story of Baidu's rise to become China's homegrown version of Google.
Australian artist Joshua Smith is famous for creating detailed miniatures, which he makes after studying photographs and images of buildings on Google Street View. This year, he finally visited Hong Kong and came face-to-face with the buildings for the first time.
With the help of artificial intelligence and facial recognition technology, jaywalkers in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen will be named and shamed, fined and notified of their wrongdoing via an instant message.
Contestants from around the world gathered in Shanghai to compete in the 2018 FIRST Robotics Competition. FIRST, or For Inspiration Recognition Science Technology, hosts yearly competitions to inspire the younger generation to become leaders in science and technology.
