Issue #37 of Data+AI in Asia
Welcome to this week’s ‘Data+AI in Asia’! In this edition of the newsletter, we cover news about upcoming AI chip IPOs in China, the continued development of SEA-LION large language models, an international agreement to ban AI from nuclear weapons control, and more.
?
Enjoy the reading!
?
This week in Data+AI in Asia:
?
Two Chinese AI Chip Makers Vie for IPO
Shanghai Enflame Technology Co. and Shanghai Biren Intelligent Technology Co. are planning to launch their IPOs in Shanghai this year. They target the STAR board as it constitutes a venue for fast-growing startups. Both companies aim to raise up to 2 billion yuan ($280 million) in an IPO, joining Cambricon Technologies Corp. on the STAR exchange, which aims to make Shanghai the premier tech listings destination. Enflame and Biren, backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd., are targeting the niche STAR board, but Biren's management has not yet ruled out Hong Kong as a destination. Both companies make chips used by developers to train and support AI services, though they are generally considered inferior to Nvidia’s in power and performance. Beijing is encouraging Chinese companies to develop, support, and adopt local alternatives, fearing that Washington will increase efforts to choke off Western technology needed for AI and the military.
?
Read more here (paywall)
AI Singapore and Sony Collaborate on SEA-LION LLMs
AI Singapore and Sony Research are collaborating on research for the SEA-LION family of large language models (LLMs), focusing on the Tamil language, spoken by 60-85 million people worldwide, and more Southeast Asian languages. The research will be conducted through Sony AI, a division of Sony Research. The aim is to share best practices in LLM development and research methodologies as well as to enhance the performance of new solutions. Sony Research's presence in India will provide a foundation for the exploration.
?
Read more here
And here
60 Countries Sign Agreement to Ban AI from Nuclear Weapon Control, China Opts Out
Sixty countries, including the US and UK, have declared that humans should control nuclear weapons, with China being the only major exception. At the Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) Summit, around 60 of the 100 countries adopted the 'Blueprint for Action', which declared that it is essential to maintain human control and involvement for all actions concerning nuclear weapons employment. The declaration, a non-binding agreement, acknowledges that there is a long way to go for nations to keep pace with the development of AI in the military domain. It also noted that they need to engage in further discussions on policies and procedures. The declaration sought to stop AI control of nuclear weapons but did not outline any sanctions or other punishments in case of a violation. China has consistently refused to rule out AI control of nuclear weapons.
领英推荐
?
Read more here
And here
Databricks Sets Up Regional HQ in Singapore
US data, analytics, and AI company Databricks has announced Singapore as its regional hub for the Asia Pacific and Japan region, with plans to increase its Singapore-based workforce. The company is working with the Singapore Economic Development Board to add critical roles in field engineering, professional services, strategy, operations, and learning and enablement. Databricks is also looking to contribute to Singapore's AI industry development efforts. In line with Singapore's National AI Strategy 2.0, Databricks is launching initiatives to upskill local talent in data and AI in partnership with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
?
Read more here
And watch here
South Korea Faces AI Deepfake Porn Crisis
South Korea has experienced a surge in sexually explicit deepfake images being created and shared online, targeting women and girls using school photos, social media selfies, and military headshots. A Telegram channel with over 220,000 participants was reportedly used to create these AI-generated images. The issue has led to more women coming forward as victims and more Telegram channels being exposed. President Yoon Suk Yeol called on his government to crack down on this digital abuse, and authorities have formed a task force to tackle the issue. Preliminary data indicates that the majority of suspected perpetrators from the recent wave of cases are in their teens. Telegram is cooperating with the investigation and requests to remove content.
?
Read more here
Malaysian Government Agency Onboards 140 AI Solution Providers
Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has onboarded 140 AI solution providers into its digital ecosystem, generating RM1 billion in revenue. Earlier this week, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo highlighted the increasing role of AI in transforming Malaysia's economy, stating that AI is delivering measurable improvements, from boosting productivity in small businesses to enhancing efficiency in larger organizations. The minister said that this expansion of the MDEC’s digital ecosystem will solidify Malaysia’s position as a regional AI leader.
?
Read more here
And here