The rapid rise of Chinese open-weight AI reignited the US debate over how to balance safety and security risks while driving the growth of the American tech ecosystem. Some fear that Silicon Valley will get hooked on cheap Chinese AI that’s accused of ripping off American labs, introducing “various baskets ...
Category: Semafor
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China demonstrates ability to overcome AI compute shortageChina demonstrates ability to overcome AI compute shortage
China’s chipmakers saw a 2,850% jump in first-half profits, suggesting Beijing’s efforts to build a domestic semiconductor industry are starting to pay off. The momentum was further bolstered by the blockbuster listing of memory chipmaker CXMT, seen as China’s best hope of building self-sufficiency. CXMT’s stock soared 466% on debut, ...
South Africa targets political figures to chair Africa’s biggest fundSouth Africa targets political figures to chair Africa’s biggest fund
The Scoop South Africa’s finance minister is weighing appointing political allies to chair Africa’s largest pension fund manager, two sources familiar with his thinking told Semafor, a move that would keep the state’s control over the $200 billion state-owned money manager. Enoch Godongwana is weighing either Zuku Godlimpi, deputy minister ...
Abandoned Russian shadow-fleet tanker leaks oil off OmanAbandoned Russian shadow-fleet tanker leaks oil off Oman
The News A tanker that is part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and which is under European sanctions is leaking oil into the sea off the coast of Oman, according to expert analysis of satellite imagery. The Caroline Bezengi, a 274-meter Suezmax vessel, had loaded oil at the Russian port ...
Bloomberg’s post-Mike moves are in motionBloomberg’s post-Mike moves are in motion
The Scoop In the decades since Michael Bloomberg founded his bond-pricing data provider and built it into a media and markets giant, the question has swirled on Wall Street: What does he plan to do with it? Some clues: Executives from the company have been having preliminary talks with investment ...
Netanyahu and Zelenskyy head to WashingtonNetanyahu and Zelenskyy head to Washington
US President Donald Trump will meet the leaders of Israel and Ukraine in Washington today as fears grow that their conflicts may be going global. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine are increasingly intertwined: Russia’s purchases of Iranian Shahed drones have boosted Tehran’s coffers as its economy falters, ...
Abu Dhabi lab advances AI search for non-opioid painkillersAbu Dhabi lab advances AI search for non-opioid painkillers
The News Biotech firm Insilico Medicine relied on researchers in Abu Dhabi — and the emirate’s relatively cheap access to AI computing power — to find a potential breakthrough painkiller that could work without the addiction risk of opioids. The candidate is the company’s 31st preclinical drug in six years, ...
China’s up-and-coming pharma giantsChina’s up-and-coming pharma giants
The News Chinese pharmaceutical companies are making inroads, particularly in early-stage research and initial clinical trials, but remain about a decade away from challenging industry heavyweights like AstraZeneca on a global stage, the company’s chief financial officer said in an interview. Aradhana Sarin said that no major Chinese pharma company ...
Why Trump is warming toward ZelenskyyWhy Trump is warming toward Zelenskyy
The News President Donald Trump is sitting down on Tuesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at what looks like the peak of their relationship — though it may not last. Trump recently announced plans to give Ukraine a license to produce its own Patriot missiles, a potentially critical boost for ...
A memoir of a cyclist who won nothingA memoir of a cyclist who won nothing
by Charly Wegelius. Tadej Pogacar won a record-equalling fifth Tour de France over the weekend. What better time, then, to read this 2013 memoir by a cyclist who won precisely nothing? Cycling teams are built around ensuring one rider wins; teammates ride in front of the star for slipstreaming, set ...