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OpenAI has launched an "instant checkout" feature in ChatGPT, enabling US users to buy products directly in chat starting with Etsy sellers and soon e…

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Xibei has apologized and pledged greater transparency, but draft national standards and growing capital inflows point to a market too big to stop.

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China’s tech ecosystem serves as a driving force behind the world’s second largest economy, influencing global digital markets.

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Nio, a Chinese electric car maker, specializes in high-performance EVs, battery-swapping solutions, and autonomous driving technologies.

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After another cash infusion, the onus is on the EV maker to prove it can turn a profit.

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An alias used when humans and machines team up in our newsroom. Articles under this byline may be shaped with the help of AI, but are always vetted by a human before publication.

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KrASIA tracks China’s tech and business stories, alongside key developments across the broader Asia Pacific region.

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<a href="/company/openai">OpenAI</a> has launched an "instant checkout" feature in ChatGPT, enabling US users to buy products directly in chat starting with Etsy sellers and soon expanding to Shopify merchants. Powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol co-developed with Stripe, the system keeps merchants in control of payments and fulfillment.

<a href="/company/transsion">Transsion</a> is expected to launch devices with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chips in 2025, following a global patent settlement with Qualcomm. The move would mark a shift from MediaTek platforms but could raise costs in Africa and South Asia, where Transsion faces slowing shipments and its first major profit decline since listing.

<a href="/company/huawei">Huawei</a> plans to double production of its Ascend <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> chips in 2026, targeting 600,000 units of the 910C model and up to 1.6 million dies across the lineup, according to people familiar with the matter. The ramp-up suggests Huawei and SMIC are easing bottlenecks under US sanctions as Chinese firms seek alternatives to <a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia</a>.

McDonald’s is marking the Mid-Autumn Festival in China with a collaboration with video game hit <em>Black Myth: Wukong</em>. Spanning 7,100 outlets, the campaign features themed items such as a “black gold mooncake” burger and sesame lava pie, alongside limited merchandise and pop-up events in major cities.

Chinese <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> firm <a href="/company/deepseek">DeepSeek</a> has released V3.2-Exp, an experimental model designed to lower training costs and improve long-sequence processing with its "sparse attention" mechanism. Billed as a step toward its next-generation architecture, the launch includes API price cuts of more than 50% to attract developers.

<a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a> said its new 17 smartphone series posted record demand within two days of launch, with the Pro Max leading sales. President Lu Weibing expects the lineup to outperform past models, though analyst Ming-Chi Kuo noted weaker demand for the base version. A one-terabyte option will be added on October 5 to lift sales.

<a href="/company/openai">OpenAI</a> has introduced parental controls on ChatGPT, enabling adults to restrict teen access, limit features, and receive alerts if the chatbot detects signs of distress. The rollout follows a lawsuit from the family of a California high school student who died in April, which alleged the chatbot played a role in his death.

BOE Technology, Apple’s primary display supplier, has launched Beijing BOE Robot with RMB 200 million in capital to develop industrial <a href="/industry/robotics">robots</a> and <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> software. The move comes as China installed a record 295,000 robots in 2024 and its robotics market is projected to more than double to USD 108 billion by 2028.

Suntory has rolled out ten new products in 2025, including sugar-free teas and a new wellness sub-brand, after years of slower launches. The push comes as the company faces falling revenue in Asia and mounting pressure from Chinese rivals like Nongfu Spring and Ripe Fruit.

<a href="/company/oppo">Oppo</a> has begun developing handheld imaging devices, following Vivo’s entry into the segment last year. The two phone makers are targeting action and panoramic cameras, markets led by GoPro, <a href="/company/dji">DJI</a>, and Insta360. Analysts say their extensive imaging teams, shared supply chains, and the sector’s high margins make the market a potential new growth path.

<a href="/company/huawei">Huawei</a> said HarmonyOS 5 devices have surpassed 20 million, doubling in two months as new models including the Mate 80, Nova Flip S, and Mate X7 drove adoption. Executive Richard Yu projected 60 million units by the end of 2025 and up to 100 million by early 2026. The milestone comes as Huawei expands HarmonyOS across smartphones, PCs, wearables, and in-car systems.

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The startup says its system can map processes within hours, replacing months of manual customization.

Cutting months to a day: AlignBase taps AI to automate enterprise workflows

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In its tenth edition, the event gathered top teams worldwide to test algorithms against real-world fraud risks, with this year’s focus on visual deepfakes.

A decade in the making: FinVolution’s competition spotlights visual deepfake detection

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T. K. Lin

Pop Mart, a Chinese company, designs and sells toys, figurines, and collectibles, primarily in a blind box format.

Beijing, long accused of a lax attitude toward counterfeits, has seen its soft power grow.

China battles Labubu fakes in role reversal on IP protection

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ChatGPT adds instant shopping feature

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Cutting months to a day: AlignBase taps AI to automate enterprise workflows

A decade in the making: FinVolution’s competition spotlights visual deepfake detection

China battles Labubu fakes in role reversal on IP protection