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… picture? And what role does Eagoal play in it?</h3>
CB: Battery recycling plays a key role in the broader push toward a circular economy. With growing global demand for sustainable development and resource efficiency, effectively recycling used batteries can relieve resource shortages and reduce environmental impact. It also accelerates the shift to low-carbon growth.
Eagoal is focused on aligning with green and circular economic trends. We’ve gone beyond just manufacturing and using batteries. We’re deeply involved in closing the loop at the end of the battery life cycle. This end-to-end approach allows us to integrate upstream and downstream resources, boost overall supply chain efficiency, and secure a strong position in the new energy post-market.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3281853106856837">article</a> was written by Wang Shun for 36Kr.

As EV batteries retire, recyclers like Eagoal race to scale and standardize

Deep Tech

Batteries

Energy

China

… that handles shipments to America. "We recommend shipping now because we don't know what will happen after three months. [Trump] might even change his mind within two months," he said.
China's slowed export growth in April suggests some US importers canceled or scaled down shipments. Some products bound for the US sat in Chinese warehouses, waiting for tariffs to fall. Analysts predict a boost in Chinese exports as shippers front-load deliveries in the 90-day window.
An employee at a Yiwu-based manufacturer of Santa Claus dolls and other Christmas decorations said he had expected tariffs to come down eventually, but was relieved that a deal was reached sooner than anticipated. "30% is not an issue. Many customers can accept it," he said, referring to the lowered US tariffs on Chinese imports.
Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta, expects this year's peak ocean shipping season, which usually falls in the third quarter, to start earlier. Shipping rates may consequently rebound, he added.
"April and May are our busiest months, and we are already making orders from other countries," said the employee from the Yiwu manufacturer. "So even if you order today, you will not be able to receive the goods quickly."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-war/US-China-trade-war-truce-5-things-to-know">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

US-China trade war truce: 5 things to know

Xia Zhongpu, the executive who led development of <a href="/company/li-auto">Li Auto’s</a> end-to-end (E2E) assisted driving model, has left the company, signaling a broader strategic shift at the Chinese automaker.
Xia, who joined Li Auto in 2023 and reported directly to Lang Xianpeng, vice president of assisted driving R&amp;D, was a prominent figure within the company’s advanced driving unit. People familiar with the matter said he had already stepped away from Li Auto’s vision-language-action (VLA) model development team and had not attended internal meetings for several weeks. His next move remains unclear.
Li Auto did not respond to 36Kr’s request for comment.
Xia’s departure marks a turning point in the company’s evolving approach to assisted driving technology. He was instrumental in Li Auto’s early E2E architecture, which gained traction following promising results and led to a <a href="https://kr-asia.com/li-auto-leans-into-end-to-end-autonomy-with-smart-driving-overhaul">restructuring</a> of the assisted driving division in November 2024. The company established three dedicated teams at the time: E2E modeling, world modeling, and production R&amp;D. Xia was named head of the E2E unit.
During his tenure, Xia rose quickly within Li Auto’s hierarchy. However, internal sources suggest his exit may stem from differing views on the company’s technological direction. “Xia believed the E2E approach could still be optimized,” said one person familiar with the matter. “But internally, the company had already gone all-in on VLA.”
The transition was underscored on May 7, when CEO Li Xiang described VLA during a company-hosted “AI Talk” session as “a large model that drives like a human.” He also revealed that Li Auto had tripled its planned GPU training allocation to support VLA development.
This pivot has coincided with a reshuffling of leadership. Lang has reportedly been promoted, and Jia Peng, previously in charge of the company’s world model framework, now leads the VLA project as head of autonomous driving technology R&amp;D.
Li Auto’s assisted driving roadmap has undergone multiple changes since 2023. The company moved away from high-definition maps and rule-based logic, adopted E2E frameworks, and now appears committed to VLA as its core development path.
Originally popularized by Tesla, the E2E model allowed Li Auto to streamline core modules—perception, prediction, planning, and control—into a unified system driven by machine learning. The company formally began E2E development in November 2023 and rolled out a combined E2E and vision-language model (VLM) to Max users by October 2024, reportedly two months ahead of schedule.
That rollout was seen as a major win, helping Li Auto shed its image as a laggard in assisted driving and emerge as a top-tier contender. Xia, as the head of the production-ready E2E system, benefited from the momentum and earned internal promotions.
Yet, consensus on E2E’s long-term viability never fully materialized. At the same May 7 event, CEO Li Xiang noted a critical limitation: “End-to-end doesn’t fully understand the physical world. It’s more of an imitation process,” he said, pointing out that the system performed well in general scenarios but struggled in complex, unfamiliar ones.
Management saw those constraints as fundamental. While Li Auto had already added VLM features to its E2E stack, the team concluded that vision-language alone could not close the gap in higher-order decision-making.
VLA, originally developed by Google DeepMind for robotics applications, is now viewed within Li Auto as the future of embodied intelligence. Unlike VLM systems that parse 2D visual inputs, VLA incorporates an action component, allowing models to not only interpret their environment but also perform physical tasks like driving. These systems support 2D and 3D vision, language comprehension, and chain-of-thought reasoning, essentially enabling vehicles to see, think, and act more like humans.
Industry peers are also trending in this direction. Nio has released a world model focused on reading road signs and textual input, while Xpeng has introduced a foundation model with advanced reasoning capabilities that has since been optimized for in-car use.
Still, the VLA route is not without skeptics. Some experts interviewed by 36Kr noted that the approach remains largely untested in real-world conditions. Even Li acknowledged the risks: “In truth, we’re venturing into uncharted territory,” he said.
More than just a personnel change, Xia’s exit may perhaps reflect the end of an ambitious phase in Li Auto’s assisted driving journey, and the company’s deeper bet on a new frontier.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3300770853882121">article</a> was written by Li Anqi for 36Kr.

Li Auto’s E2E architect departs as company shifts focus to VLA

East Asia

Transportation

Autonomous Vehicles

Mobility

… advancement and real-world validation.
Working with academic institutions allows us to test and refine our ideas in practical settings. We’re now expanding our model beyond Peking University to include partnerships with Peng Cheng Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Beijing Jiaotong University, and Harbin Institute of Technology. Each collaboration is structured to suit the strengths and goals of both parties.
<h3>36Kr: Which industries will Shenqi Digital prioritize going forward?</h3>
SY: Our technology is cross-sector by design. Every industry needs better data governance and intelligence.
That said, we’ve already built momentum in areas like supply chain, finance, water management, transportation, and hospitality. For instance, we currently serve 80% of China’s high-end hotel market.
We’ll continue to deepen our reach in these sectors while expanding into new ones. Through our wider ecosystem, we’re connecting with major players in consumer goods, automotive, electronics, and beauty.
We’re also actively exploring opportunities in industrial manufacturing and energy, thanks to resources and connections provided by our partners.
<h3>36Kr: Is Shenqi Digital planning to expand overseas?</h3>
SY: Yes. Our outbound approach is what we call “accompaniment-style” globalization. Many of our domestic clients are expanding overseas and want us to replicate their digital systems in new markets.
As we support them, we’re also building local service networks abroad and exploring “reverse expansion,” helping international companies establish operations in China.
We already have a strong presence in Hong Kong and Macau, with longstanding relationships in academia and finance. Our Hong Kong-based delivery teams understand the region’s language, legal frameworks, and standards, putting us in a strong position to expand into Southeast Asia and beyond.
<h3>36Kr: What are Shenqi Digital’s priorities over the next three to five years?</h3>
SY: First, advancing our product and technology pipeline. With Yanyun Infinity as the foundation, we’re developing AI applications tailored to vertical industries and assembling hybrid teams of engineers and industry experts to lead innovation.
Second, expanding our service and sales network. We’re upgrading local service hubs to meet rising demand, including deployments in fourth- and fifth-tier cities.
Third, ecosystem development. Our guiding principle is built on altruism, openness, and win-win collaboration. We’re strengthening our academic partnerships and broadening our partner ecosystem to co-develop AI solutions that create new value in traditional industries.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3202733866410505">article</a> was written by Song Wanxin for 36Kr.

With IT data drying up, Shenqi Digital backs “AI for process” to sharpen enterprise decisions

Artificial Intelligence

… Its pipeline features a urine-based HPV test with 93% sensitivity in clinical trials.
The capital will accelerate commercialization of its diagnostics technology.
<h3>Brik raises nearly USD 10 million to digitize construction material supply chains</h3>
Brik, an Indonesian construction tech startup, has reportedly secured close to USD 10 million in Series A funding, according to <a href="https://news.dailysocial.id/tech-business/news/startup-konstruksi-brik-kantongi-pendanaan-seri-a-us10-juta-dipimpin-jungle-ventures/">DailySocial</a>. Jungle Ventures led the round, with participation from Accel India.
Founded in 2022, Brik aggregates building materials and runs a cloud manufacturing model, partnering with local producers to create and distribute products like concrete and construction chemicals.
The company plans to enhance its labor-efficiency technologies and expand beyond Java, Bali, and Lampung.
<h3>Citics raises USD 2.1 million to grow digital mortgage platform</h3>
Citics, a Vietnamese real estate platform, has reportedly raised USD 2.1 million in fresh funding, according to <a href="https://e27.co/citics-lands-us2-1m-to-digitise-mortgage-lending-and-real-estate-transactions-20250515/">e27</a>. The investors include TVS, Ai Viet Ventures, Vulpes Ventures, and Vietnam Investments Group.
Launched in 2018, Citics provides AI-powered property valuation tools and a digital mortgage platform. Reportedly integrated with over 32 banks, it supports monthly loan disbursements exceeding VND 1 trillion (USD 38.5 million).
The new funds will be used to enhance products, expand partnerships, and build a platform for trading foreclosed properties.
whereRelatedArticle
<h3>VFlowTech, Alterno, BrioHR, and more made recent headlines:</h3>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://vflowtech.com/">VFlowTech</a>, a Singapore-based energy storage startup, raised USD 20.5 million in a funding round led by Granite Asia. EDBI, MOL Plus, and PSA Ventures participated. Existing investors also took part, including Antares Ventures, Inci Holding, UntroD Capital, Pappas Capital, Wavemaker Partners, Seeds Capital, and Entrepreneurs First.</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://alterno.net/">Alterno</a>, a Vietnam-based climate tech startup, secured an undisclosed amount of funding from UntroD Capital Asia’s second global fund, with participation from ADB Ventures.</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://briohr.com/">BrioHR</a>, a Singapore-based human resources platform, raised USD 6.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Openspace Ventures, with participation from Taiwania Hive Ventures and other regional investors.</li>
</ul>
If there are any news or updates you'd like us to feature, get in touch with us at: <a href="mailto:hello@kr-asia.com">hello@kr-asia.com</a>.
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Deals in brief: CrediLinq secures Series A funding, Vertex Ventures backs Quantified Energy, Ringkas raises 5.1 million, and more

Venture Capital

Private Equity

Investment

Merger &amp; Acquisition

Singapore

Vietnam

Indonesia

Southeast Asia

With USD 5.1 million in new funding, Ringkas aims to make homeownership more attainable in Indonesia

Lending

On May 16, <a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a> founder and CEO Lei Jun reappeared in public following a <a href="https://kr-asia.com/three-dead-in-su7-crash-fatal-accident-renews-scrutiny-of-smart-driving-safety">high-profile traffic accident</a> involving the company’s SU7 <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicle</a>. At a company event, Lei delivered a candid internal address, his first formal response to the incident.
Lei acknowledged that in the aftermath of the crash, the company was hit by a storm of criticism and scrutiny. “Like many of my colleagues, I was completely stunned,” he said.
Although peers had warned him that traffic accidents are inevitable when building cars, no one at Xiaomi anticipated the scale of backlash it would face.
Despite being a newcomer to the automotive sector, Xiaomi had treated safety as a top priority. Its SU7 model had earned top scores in safety evaluations from respected institutions. But the accident forced Lei and the company to confront a new reality. “We always saw ourselves as automotive rookies,” he said, “but society expects us to shoulder the responsibilities of a leading enterprise.”
<h3>A higher bar for Xiaomi</h3>
The incident revealed that public expectations for Xiaomi far exceed what the company had imagined. Consumers are no longer willing to treat it as a startup. Instead, they now hold it to the standards of a mature, established player, regardless of industry.
In the month that followed, Xiaomi’s leadership and automotive teams convened a series of internal meetings to assess how to strengthen safety systems and meet growing demands for transparency and governance.
According to Lei, Xiaomi is now setting its sights on building the safest vehicle in its class. For a company that only launched its EV initiative in 2021, it’s a bold and humbling shift.
The SU7 officially went on sale in March 2024. Since then, more than 240,000 units have been delivered. As of April, it is believed to be the bestselling vehicle priced above RMB 100,000 (USD 14,000) in China, across all categories and energy types.
The demand is so high that the delivery wait times listed in Xiaomi’s EV app stretch over 40 weeks. That means buyers placing orders now likely won’t receive their cars until March 2026.
In February, Xiaomi also introduced the SU7 Ultra, a high-performance version priced from RMB 529,900 (USD 74,186). With a modest sales target of 10,000 units for the year, it surpassed that figure in firm orders within just two hours. By the 72-hour mark, the total reached 19,000.
For a new entrant in the automotive industry, the figures are striking.
<figure id="attachment_150976" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-150976" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-150976" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Xiaomi-SU7-Ultra.jpg" alt="Image of the SU7 Ultra, a premium variant of Xiaomi’s first electric vehicle model." width="1920" height="1280" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Xiaomi-SU7-Ultra.jpg 1920w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Xiaomi-SU7-Ultra-300x200.jpg 300w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Xiaomi-SU7-Ultra-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Xiaomi-SU7-Ultra-768x512.jpg 768w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Xiaomi-SU7-Ultra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-150976" class="wp-caption-text">Image of the SU7 Ultra. Image and header image source: Xiaomi.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>A shift in car safety expectations</h3>
Cars, unlike phones or small appliances, are complex machines tied directly to user safety. That means the road to better safety and quality is non-negotiable for every automaker.
The accident served as a sobering reminder. For Lei, it also signifies that, for Xiaomi, no investment in safety is ever too much.
According to the company’s disclosure, the crash occurred when a SU7 struck a concrete barrier in the middle of a road. The vehicle caught fire and was destroyed, resulting in fatalities. Logs show that the car was in navigate-on-autopilot (NOA) mode at the time.
In the wake of the accident, public scrutiny quickly zeroed in on two issues: whether the NOA system detected the construction signs, and whether the doors could unlock after impact. These questions have since expanded into broader concerns about EV safety standards and oversight.
Regulators responded swiftly.
On April 16, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued new battery safety standards for EVs, shifting the benchmark from warning drivers five minutes ahead of fire risks to preventing such events altogether.
That same day, the MIIT introduced updated rules for driver assistance systems, covering naming conventions, feature visibility, and usage boundaries.
On May 8, it began collecting public input on proposed safety standards for car door handles, specifically targeting risks associated with retractable designs. A week later, on May 16, a draft regulation mandating automatic emergency braking systems for all passenger vehicles was finalized.
whereRelatedArticle
The automotive industry is now entering a phase of course correction, moving from a period of rapid expansion to one focused on technical resilience and safety.
In his speech, Lei said Xiaomi has clarified its new direction: beyond product development, the company will focus on building stronger systems and governance mechanisms to align with public expectations.
From specs and testing protocols to supply chain oversight and manufacturing processes, Lei said, safety is rooted in organizational capacity. Speed may deliver early wins, but a solid foundation is essential for long-term success. With a stronger safety culture, he believes <a href="/collections/china-automobile">China’s EV sector</a> can evolve toward more sustainable growth.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3295017866823688">article</a> was written by Xu Caiyu for 36Kr.

After fatal SU7 crash, Xiaomi vows to rebuild trust and lead on EV safety

Electric Vehicles

… hard for anyone to resist. Still, a strategist must be able to filter out distractions. If I had to do it again, I’d slow the pace and aim for what Duan Yongping called the smallest reasonable growth rate. Consumer goods aren’t a winner-takes-all industry. It's all about compounding over time.
<h3>36Kr: So are you a regular guy or a strategist?</h3>
ZC: I’m just someone who solves business problems with design thinking, trying to shift from being opportunity-driven to strategy-driven. Our current focus is on improving the next layers of apparel, starting with the one closest to the skin.
<h3>36Kr: Hence expanding beyond underwear?</h3>
ZC: We didn’t want to be defined by a single category. Bananain is a sensory science company, a tech-driven lifestyle brand. I’ve wanted to shift that perception for a while.
<h3>36Kr: But people still think of Bananain as an underwear brand.</h3>
ZC: That’s fine. I’ve learned to go with the flow. We don’t need to resist that identity. Instead, we embrace the association. Underwear implies comfort, but since comfort is such a crowded space, the key is whether we can define what comfort means. That’s what led us to sensory science.
whereRelatedArticle
<h3>36Kr: In the future, what word do you hope people associate with Bananain?</h3>
ZC: I hope it’s “cool,” as in large-scale, useful, and fun. Large-scale means we’re solving a mainstream problem, not just a niche one. Useful means we’re solving it effectively. And fun? That’s the hardest part.
Fashion rarely gets to be fun in a meaningful way. We aim for a kind of deadpan humor, something that creates inner joy.
<h3>36Kr: Is “fun” really that important for fashion?</h3>
ZC: Boring is a death sentence for any brand. One of the most interesting and valuable Chinese brands right now is Pop Mart. It has transcended physical goods and captured a different kind of meaning. The market sees that too.
<h3>36Kr: Underwear was your starting point. How high are the barriers to entry?</h3>
ZC: We’re serial entrepreneurs who have been in apparel since 2005. Back then, we saw that underwear had the highest repeat purchase rate. It was a good business.
Underwear is one of the few standard categories in apparel. If you can secure the top one or two spots in consumers’ minds, you can grab 10–20% market share. That’s similar to what sportswear has in overall apparel.
Even in today’s competitive e-commerce sector, underwear still has one of the healthiest business models.
<h3>36Kr: Why was your third attempt the successful one?</h3>
ZC: The first two weren’t failures per se. We just lacked the right timing and alignment.
<h3>36Kr: What was Bananain’s stroke of luck?</h3>
ZC: At the time, we didn’t see any tailwinds and just wanted to solve real problems in apparel. We picked a narrow entry point and aimed to survive with a distinct identity. Looking back, we did catch the wave of new consumption.
From 2016–2020, we avoided chasing trends on Weibo, WeChat, Xiaohongshu, or Douyin. We put all our eggs into Tmall. Back then, Tmall alone could carry your business. Now, it takes six channels to cover the market.
And because we’ve been at this since 2005, we’ve developed a historical view, and from that, a forward-looking mindset. We know what’s worth holding onto.
<h3>36Kr: Your name is often confused with Beneunder. Does that bother you?</h3>
ZC: Sure, but we can’t control it. In the long run, our identity will become clearer. Physical stores help with that, offering a space that allows you to show who you are.
E-commerce, by contrast, puts everything behind a screen. That distance blurs brand perception. That’s why no brand is built online alone. But that challenge pushes us to articulate what sets us apart.
<h3>36Kr: Did you not anticipate this naming confusion?</h3>
ZC: Honestly, we were focused on clarity in our own expression. We missed the broader context.
The original idea was to be the “Apple of apparel.” There’s already Apple, so why not “Banana?” Since our philosophy is about “looking inward,” we added “in.” That became “Bananain.” The Chinese name followed naturally.
<h3>36Kr: Was the “tagless” concept part of your earlier startups?</h3>
ZC: No. But it came from accumulated experience. Removing the tag may seem trivial, but it was a creative and highly distinctive move—something that set us apart.
<h3>36Kr: There are many pain points in underwear. What made this one stand out?</h3>
ZC: For a new brand, finding real differentiation at the physical level is rare and valuable. Our first two startups were also seeking that edge. Style is easy to copy, but physical attributes can’t be faked. That’s the kind of difference you can reinforce generation after generation.
<h3>36Kr: Are physical stores still a key focus this year?</h3>
ZC: Absolutely. Our retail stores are the best showcase for sensory science. We have a saying that “we exist because of our stores.”
All 50 are directly operated, and our best-performing store generates over RMB 15,000 (USD 2,100) per square meter per month. We’ve just upgraded our spatial recognition system to its third version. The new visual marketing system is about to launch too.
<h3>36Kr: Your first store opened in late 2020. That’s quite a long trial period.</h3>
ZC: It takes a lot to grow a true offline retail capability from a background in e-commerce. It’s like shedding a layer of skin.
<h3>36Kr: You’ve said Bananain made some missteps. What was the biggest?</h3>
ZC: Not being grounded enough, and misjudging our pace. This is a marathon, not a sprint. We used to run like it was a 100-meter dash. That wasn’t right.
<h3>36Kr: What’s your growth target this year?</h3>
ZC: Our main focus is increasing ARPU. Over the first four months, revenue grew at a double-digit rate.
<h3>36Kr: What’s most important in the next one to three years?</h3>
ZC: Coordinating the online and offline business. Without physical stores, you don’t go far. Without e-commerce, you don’t get big. And beyond that, how do we define comfort? Can we make sensory science feel less like mysticism and more like science?
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3291775982499969">article</a> was written by Li Xiaoxia for 36Kr.

Not the next Uniqlo: Inside Bananain’s plan to stay meaningful, not massive

Retail

Consumer Economy

… or how to find the right option, today AI can directly understand your intent: “I want a 20% return,” or “I want to avoid this market crash.” That’s a fundamental paradigm shift.
That’s why I say agents aren’t upgraded apps. They are the next-generation UI.
<h3>AN: What is Bobby’s mission?</h3>
VL: My original motivation was that investing is deeply personal. It reflects a person’s worldview and values.
Like we talked about earlier, many people have views and reactions to daily events, but get tripped up by tactical details. They can’t act on their insights. People often say trading is “turning cognition into profit,” but for most, the hardest part is going from knowing to doing. Bobby exists to bridge that gap.
<h3>AN: So whether I love or hate Donald Trump, I can trade on it?</h3>
VL: Absolutely. Both can be investment signals. Both can make money.
<h3>AN: So it’s no longer about using a tool, but about being served by an agent?</h3>
VL: Right. From that perspective, all apps will eventually disappear, and agents will take their place.
<h3>AN: I believe in that future too. But aren’t you worried you’re too early? That you’ll end up a pioneer who gets arrows in the back?</h3>
VL: I don’t think about it that way. For the past ten years, I’ve either invested in AI or built AI. My path and experience all led to this moment. I was meant to build Bobby. The brave get to enjoy the world first.
<h2>Quick takes</h2>
<h3>AN: What’s the most jaw-dropping moment AI has given you in 2025 so far?</h3>
VL: When DeepSeek displayed its deep reasoning visually for everyone to see.
<h3>AN: What’s something in AI you were skeptical about last year but have completely changed your mind on?</h3>
VL: Text-to-image generation. Early on, it was incredibly hard to generate images that were accurate, especially with consistent character poses or legible text. I thought commercialization was far off. But starting with diffusion transformers, new tech and products blew past expectations. Now it’s usable across real-world scenarios.
<h3>AN: If you could shut down one AI product or trend you think is completely misguided, what would it be?</h3>
VL: Any product that’s just layering generic AI features on top of OpenAI, or those that haven’t built a true closed-loop application. They are too easy to be wiped out by OpenAI’s next update, like when GPT-4o could instantly generate Studio Ghibli-style animation and killed off a bunch of startups. A strong business moat matters.
That’s why, for me, the question isn’t whether AI is being used, but rather what problems are being solved. In vertical scenarios, the real challenge is abstracting core user needs and building long-term value. This space still needs better AI product managers.
And as for Bobby, we didn’t build it to show off AI. We built it to make investing easier. If one day it fails to do that, we’ll shut it down. No need to get sentimental.
<h3>AN: What’s being underestimated in AI right now? What’s being overhyped?</h3>
VL: Demand for computing power is seriously underestimated. Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is overhyped. People think throwing more GPUs and training larger models will bring AGI closer. But the real bottleneck is in applications. I believe the next few years will be the breakout era for vertical agents. And that’s going to be a long game. Each use case needs customized compute optimization. Just like when electric vehicles took off, but charging infrastructure became the real constraint.
<h3>AN: What are you most looking forward to in 2025?</h3>
VL: A “Cambrian explosion” of vertical applications. I expect to see agents that truly reinvent user experiences in areas like finance, healthcare, education, travel, and supply chain—not just glorified chatbots.
Imagine a travel agent that plans personalized itineraries, negotiates pricing, and pays for you. Or an education agent that adapts learning paths to your pace and strengths. None of this requires AGI. Current tech plus vertical data is enough.
<h3>AN: And finally, three books you’d recommend?</h3>
VL: “The Pleasure of Finding Things Out” by Richard Feynman, “What Makes You Not a Buddhist” by Khyentse Norbu, and “Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China” by Ezra Vogel.
<a href="/collections/100-ai-creators">100 AI Creators</a> is a collaborative project between AI Now! and KrASIA, highlighting trailblazers in AI. Know an AI talent we should feature? <a href="mailto:ainow@kr-asia.com">Reach out to us.</a>
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RockFlow’s Bobby is an AI agent that trades on your worldview, and it’s here