China Tech News #12 | China's first hyperloop, body heat powered devices, and the race for AI talent

Welcome to Serica’s weekly tech brief, where we bring you the latest news and insights from one of the world's most dynamic and rapidly evolving tech scenes.

?? First planned hyperloop to link Shanghai and Hangzhou by 2035

China is likely to build its first hyperloop train line - an ultra-high-speed pipeline maglev system that uses vacuum-sealed tubes to transport passengers and cargo - between Shanghai and Hangzhou, according to the nation's top engineering and rail design institutes. The 150km-long (93-mile) in-vacuum tunnel will allow maglev trains to travel at speeds of up to 1,000km/h (621mph), and would allow commuters to move between the two cities in as little as 15 minutes.

SOURCE: SCMP

?? China struggles to quench its thirst for AI talent amid ChatGPT frenzy

As domestic firms race to launch their own ChatGPT-style services, Chinese companies are scrambling for top talent in generative artificial intelligence (AI), with the country significantly lacking in qualified workers as compared to the US. While demand for AI workers has jumped threefold from five years ago, only 0.1 percent of the nation’s AI talent have a doctoral degree, resulting in only 232 top research experts focusing on AI. In comparison, the US boasts 1,146 experts (half the world’s total.) AI education is predicted to become mandatory in China over the next couple of years, as we only expect demand to rise for AI solutions engineers that can help fill the talent vacuum.

SOURCE: Caixing

?? China and Singapore collaborate to scale 'Green Finance'

Meeting in Chongqing last week, representatives of Singapore's Monetary Authority of Singapore and the People's Bank of China agreed to form a joint Green Finance Taskforce. The collaboration is intended to drive green solutions in finance across Asia to help hasten the transition to a low-carbon future. Activities include the trialing of digital green bonds with carbon credits and the promotion of sustainable technology adoption in finance. This international collaboration that leverages fintech is another example of how China is exporting more than just clean energy projects in the battle again climate change.

SOURCE: SustainabilityMag

?? GravityXR secures new funding to take on Meta in XR technology

GravityXR a chip development company specializing in extended reality (XR) glasses, has completed a pre-A fundraising adding to its nearly ￥1B total raise. Headed by a veteran of Apple's XR team and former employees of Huawei, Meta, and Amazon, the company plans to mass-produce its first-generation product by the end of 2024. Though the XR space has been boom-or-bust in recent years, as the technology matures and more viable use cases are identified (such as Industry 4.0 applications) expect to see more Chinese companies enter the fray.

SOURCE: Panda Daily

?? New TEG device generates electricity day and night using thermal technology

Researchers at Jimei University in China have developed a new passive thermoelectric generator (TEG) that produces electricity during the day and night, combining solar and radiative energy capture. TEGs use differences in heat to generate electricity and have been trialed in wearables, using body heat to power devices. The new technology offers a sustainable way to power small devices continuously, avoiding nighttime outages that can pose problems for other solar-based greentech. Though in the early stages, the technology could be used in a whole bevy of 24/7 applications.

SOURCE: Interesting Engineering

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