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<a href="/company/li-auto">Li Auto</a> has announced a partnership with Zeiss covering technology and marketing collaboration. As part of the tie-up, the company plans to debut its Livis AI glasses on December 3, marking a new move to expand its smart device portfolio with support from the optics specialist.

<a href="https://kr-asia.com/ant-group-launches-lingguang-a-multimodal-ai-assistant-built-for-the-app-era">LingGuang</a>, <a href="/company/ant-group">Ant Group’s</a> multimodal <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> assistant, has reportedly generated 3.3 million user-created “flash apps” in the two weeks since launch. Data show frequent multi-round dialogues as users refine ideas, with some apps receiving more than 100 revisions.

Canon has closed its Zhongshan laser printer factory, citing a rapidly contracting market, intensifying competition, and sustained operating pressure. Once a major production hub with more than 10,000 workers, the plant has seen staff fall to about 1,400 and its output shift entirely to export. The shutdown reflects broader declines in China’s laser printer market and Canon’s shift toward higher-margin businesses.

Kling AI has released Video O1, a unified multimodal video model that generates short clips and edits existing footage through a single prompt, interpreting up to seven inputs at once. The system supports subject swaps, scene changes, and stylistic adjustments. Kling said internal tests show gains over Google's Veo 3.1 and Runway Aleph, though results have not been independently verified.

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into <a href="/company/shein">Shein</a> to assess potential violations of state law involving product safety, hazardous materials, and ethical sourcing, as well as data practices. The probe follows findings by French regulators of illegal items on the platform, adding to mounting scrutiny of the fast fashion retailer.

<a href="/company/openai">OpenAI</a> is taking an ownership stake in Thrive Holdings, an investment vehicle created by major backer Thrive Capital, in exchange for embedding its staff and technology into the firm’s portfolio companies. The tie-up, aimed at speeding enterprise adoption of <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a>, adds to a series of increasingly interconnected deals linking OpenAI with its investors as the industry scales costly AI infrastructure.

<a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia</a> has invested USD 2 billion in Synopsys as the companies expanded a multiyear collaboration to develop <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a>-driven design tools that shift complex simulations from CPUs to Nvidia GPUs. Executives said the approach can cut processes from weeks to hours. Synopsys emphasized the deal is non-exclusive and does not require it to purchase Nvidia hardware.

Britain’s new pay-per-mile tax on <a href="/industry/ev">EVs</a>, set for 2028, is expected to pressure demand and potentially steer buyers toward cheaper Chinese models such as <a href="/company/byd">BYD’s</a> Dolphin Surf. Forecasts indicate the levy could curb EV sales by 440,000, highlighting affordability challenges despite expanded government grants.

Fanuc said it is partnering with <a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia</a> to develop physical <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> robots that can respond to verbal commands and operate safely around humans. The systems will integrate Nvidia computers, use virtual factory training, and support ROS 2 and Python. The project marks Fanuc’s first major push into physical AI as industrial <a href="/industry/robotics">robotics</a> enters a new competitive phase.

<a href="/company/changan-automobile">Changan Automobile</a> is advancing its <a href="/industry/robotics">robotics</a> strategy with a RMB 225 million investment for a 50% stake in Changan Tianshu, a unit dedicated to humanoid robot technologies. The company plans to unveil self-developed prototypes and its first in-vehicle robot next year as it seeks closer integration between robotics and smart vehicles.

<a href="/company/byd">BYD</a> has launched its first PHEV in Japan, the Sealion 6 SUV, starting at JPY 3.98 million and priced below comparable Toyota and Mitsubishi models. The vehicle offers up to 1,200 kilometers of combined range, with deliveries set for late January. BYD said demand has held steady despite tense bilateral relations as it works to expand its presence in the Japanese market.

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