News/Asia
OpenAI ponders South Korea data center amid Samsung and SK partnerships
OpenAI is considering building a data center in South Korea while expanding partnerships with major Korean conglomerates like Samsung and SK, according to remarks made during the launch of its Seoul office. The move aligns with South Korea's push for AI sovereignty and positions OpenAI to tap into the country's advanced semiconductor ecosystem as it prepares to manufacture its own AI chips. What you should know: OpenAI's Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon confirmed the company's openness to Korean infrastructure investments during a September 10 press conference. "When it comes to the hardware chip side, I think we have a lot...
read Sep 10, 2025Arm launches Lumex chips for on-device AI in smartphones and wearables
Arm Holdings launched Lumex, its next-generation mobile chip designs optimized for artificial intelligence that can run on smartphones and wearable devices without internet connectivity. The new designs represent Arm's strategic push to capitalize on the growing demand for on-device AI processing, offering four variants ranging from energy-efficient options for smartwatches to high-performance versions capable of running large AI models directly on premium smartphones. What you should know: Lumex encompasses four different chip design types, each tailored for specific device categories and performance requirements. The designs range from low-power, energy-efficient versions for smartwatches and wearable devices to maximum-performance variants designed for...
read Sep 9, 2025Google launches $4.56 AI Plus tier targeting Indonesia and emerging markets
Google has launched AI Plus, a new subscription tier priced at approximately $4.56 per month in Indonesia, positioned between its free Gemini offering and the $19.99 AI Pro plan. Designed specifically for emerging markets, the service provides expanded access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, additional AI tools, and 200 GB of Google One storage at a fraction of the cost of premium tiers. What you should know: AI Plus offers significantly more functionality than Google's free tier while remaining affordable for users in developing economies. Free users currently receive only five Gemini 2.5 Pro prompts daily, while AI Plus subscribers get...
read Sep 8, 2025Japan uses AI robots, holograms to transform hospitality while keeping human touch
Japan has positioned itself as the global leader in hospitality technology by integrating AI and robotics throughout its tourism sector in 2025. This technological transformation is reshaping guest experiences while setting new international standards for how hotels can blend cutting-edge innovation with traditional service excellence. The big picture: Japan's hospitality industry has successfully deployed humanoid robots, AI assistants, and hologram technologies across hotels nationwide, creating a new model for tech-enhanced tourism that other countries are now studying. What you should know: The integration extends far beyond novelty attractions to become essential operational infrastructure. Humanoid robots now handle check-in processes, room...
read Sep 3, 2025India’s Jio Haptik launches WhatsApp AI agents with 24/7 capabilities for SMBs
Jio Haptik, a subsidiary of Reliance Jio, has launched WhatsApp AI agents for enterprises and small-to-medium businesses (SMBs), with pricing starting at Rs 10,000. This in-house solution enables voice AI automation for business operations, potentially allowing thousands of SMBs across India to reduce employee costs while maintaining 24/7 customer service capabilities. What you should know: The agentic AI platform provides voice AI agent capabilities that automate routine business functions around the clock. Small clinics can take appointments continuously without requiring a receptionist on duty. Educational institutes can answer course-related queries instantly, even outside office hours. The solution aims to help...
read Sep 2, 2025Kiwis and clouds: AWS launches New Zealand region with NZ$7.5B investment
Amazon Web Services has officially launched its Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region, allowing organizations to store data and run applications within the country for the first time. The infrastructure investment represents Amazon's largest commitment to New Zealand's digital economy, with plans to spend NZ$7.5 billion over 15 years while creating over 1,000 jobs annually and contributing an estimated NZ$10.8 billion to the country's GDP. What you should know: The new AWS region begins operations with three Availability Zones located in the Auckland area, each consisting of one or more data centers designed to improve redundancy and resilience. Organizations can now...
read Sep 2, 2025OpenAI plans 1 gigawatt data center in India as part of $500B Stargate expansion
OpenAI is planning to construct a massive data center in India with at least 1 gigawatt of capacity, according to local press reports citing people familiar with the matter. The facility would rank among India's largest data centers and represents part of OpenAI's ambitious $500 billion Stargate infrastructure expansion, which already includes major projects in the United States, Norway, and Abu Dhabi. What you should know: OpenAI is actively seeking local partnerships to establish the gigawatt-scale facility in the world's most populous nation. The company is in discussions with potential Indian partners, though the specific location and construction timeline remain...
read Sep 2, 2025Eager to tri it? Samsung’s $2.9K Galaxy Z TriFold launches September 29…in South Korea
Samsung has announced plans to launch its dual-hinged Galaxy Z TriFold smartphone on September 29 in South Korea, according to new leaks from industry sources. The device, which could be priced upwards of $2,930, represents Samsung's ambitious entry into the emerging tri-fold smartphone market and will debut alongside the company's Project Moohan XR headset and potentially new AI-powered smart glasses. What you should know: The Galaxy Z TriFold will be Samsung's first dual-hinged foldable device, offering users a triple-screen experience when fully unfolded. Previous leaks suggest the device will be priced upwards of 4 million KRW (~$2,930), reflecting the complexity...
read Sep 2, 2025Award-winning film examines AI’s reliance on marginalized data-labelers
Indian filmmakers Kiran Rao and Biju Toppo have joined as executive producers on "Humans in the Loop," the Fipresci India Grand Prix-winning feature about an indigenous Adivasi woman working as an AI data-labeller. The move represents a significant boost for the indie drama, which explores how technological progress can entrench exclusion while sidelining indigenous knowledge systems—themes increasingly relevant as AI's hidden labor force gains scrutiny. What you should know: The film follows Nehma, an Oraon Adivasi woman whose AI data-labelling work exposes the hidden labor powering "smart" technologies in Jharkhand, northern India.• Adivasis are India's indigenous tribal communities, comprising roughly...
read Sep 2, 2025Eggs, basket: Just 2 customers drive 39% of Nvidia’s record $46.7B quarterly sales
Nvidia disclosed that just two customers accounted for 39% of its record-breaking $46.7 billion second-quarter revenue, highlighting the chip giant's heavy dependence on a narrow customer base. The revelation underscores the concentration risk facing the AI chip leader, even as demand for its data center hardware continues to surge. What you should know: Nvidia's customer concentration extends beyond the top two buyers, creating significant revenue dependency on a small group. One customer alone represented 23% of Q2 revenue, while another accounted for 16%. Four additional customers each contributed between 10-14% of quarterly revenue. For the first half of fiscal 2026,...
read Sep 1, 2025Techno Digital opens $175M AI-ready data center in Chennai
Techno Digital, the digital infrastructure arm of Techno Electric and Engineering Company Limited, has opened a 36MW AI-ready hyperscale data center in Chennai with a $175 million investment, marking a significant expansion of India's digital infrastructure capabilities. The facility is part of the company's ambitious $1 billion commitment to building sustainable, future-ready digital infrastructure across the country, positioning Chennai as a strategic hub for AI, cloud computing, and 5G-driven enterprise solutions. What you should know: The data center spans 200,000 square feet at SIPCOT IT Park in Siruseri, offering hosting capacity for over 2,400 high-density racks with flexible power densities...
read Sep 1, 2025Landlocked in: Kazakhstan makes AI mandatory for 390,000 university students
Central Asia's Kazakhstan has made artificial intelligence a mandatory subject across all universities, with 93 institutions already integrating AI into their academic programs and 20 universities launching 25 new educational tracks. This nationwide initiative positions Kazakhstan to compete with leading AI-adopting countries like China, Finland, and the United States while preparing students for an AI-driven economy. Key implementation details: The Aisana project will be included in university curricula starting this academic year, giving every student hands-on experience with AI technologies. So far, 390,000 students have completed specialized AI courses, with 3,000 earning official certificates. Deputy Minister of Science and Higher...
read Sep 1, 2025Japanese artist and former tech enthusiast creates AI installation of tech bro debate over humanity
Japanese-British artist Hiromi Ozaki, known as Sputniko!, has created an AI installation featuring six artificial "tech bros" debating humanity's future, with the avatars trained on philosophies of billionaires like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. The artwork, which debuted in Tokyo just before the 2024 US election and Musk's appointment to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, reflects growing concerns about tech elites' influence over society and democratic processes. The big picture: Ozaki's installation represents a broader shift among artists and technologists from tech optimism to "tech fatigue," questioning whether AI-driven efficiency is eliminating the human elements that make life meaningful....
read Aug 29, 2025Electric Feel: Japan’s data centers risk straining grid, tripling power use by 2034
Japan's data center expansion is about to reshape the country's entire electrical grid. By 2034, these digital powerhouses will consume as much electricity as 15-18 million households combined, driving 60% of the nation's total power demand growth and fundamentally altering how utilities plan and invest in infrastructure. This surge stems from a government-backed digital transformation initiative that selected Oracle, Google, and Microsoft as official cloud providers, triggering approximately $28 billion in hyperscaler investments. Hyperscalers—the massive cloud computing companies that operate data centers at enormous scale—are racing to build the digital backbone that will support Japan's AI ambitions and cloud computing...
read Aug 29, 2025Kuala Lumpur data centers to grow 31% annually through 2030
Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, are emerging as key data center markets in Southeast Asia, driven by hyperscale cloud expansion and surging AI infrastructure demand, according to new research from Structure Research, an independent research firm. The growth represents a strategic shift as both cities capitalize on regional spillover effects from Singapore and position themselves as critical hubs for the next wave of digital infrastructure deployment. What you should know: Both markets are experiencing explosive growth trajectories, with Kuala Lumpur leading the charge in percentage terms while Jakarta offers larger absolute market value. Kuala Lumpur's data center...
read Aug 29, 2025Scratching failure off the list, Korean researchers develop AI to classify skin irritations with 98% accuracy
South Korean researchers have developed an AI model using YOLO v5 technology that can accurately classify skin irritation from patch tests, achieving a classification accuracy of 0.983. The breakthrough addresses longstanding challenges in dermatological diagnostics by providing consistent, objective assessments that could reduce variability between human evaluators and accelerate clinical decision-making. What you should know: The AI model represents a significant advancement in automated dermatological assessment, moving beyond traditional convolutional neural networks to object detection algorithms. Researchers from Sungkyunkwan University, a South Korean research institution, trained the model on 83,629 images collected from patch test participants between 2020-2023. The system...
read Aug 29, 2025Disney and Reliance’s $8.5B JioStar hits 300M subscribers with AI features
Disney CEO Bob Iger joined Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani at the company's annual general meeting in Mumbai to celebrate the rapid success of JioStar, their joint venture that has emerged as a dominant force in India's media landscape with nearly 300 million paid subscribers. The appearance comes as Ambani unveiled major AI partnerships with Google and Meta, signaling Reliance's broader ambition to democratize artificial intelligence across India's enterprise sector. The big picture: The Reliance-Disney media merger, completed last year and valued at $8.5 billion, has created an Indian entertainment powerhouse that now commands significant market share across streaming and...
read Aug 22, 2025LG wins $720M AI data center cooling contract in Indonesia
LG Electronics has secured a major contract to provide advanced cooling systems for a large-scale AI data center under construction in Jakarta, Indonesia. The project positions LG to significantly expand its business-to-business cooling solutions footprint across Asia, with ambitious targets to reach $720 million in annual chiller sales and triple data center cooling orders within two years. What you should know: LG will supply a comprehensive suite of thermal management technologies for the Jakarta facility, expected to be among Indonesia's largest data centers.• The cooling package includes chillers, computer room air handlers (CRAH), air handling units (AHU), computer room air...
read Aug 21, 2025Vodafone Idea partners with IBM to build AI hub for 200M subscribers
Vodafone Idea, India's third-largest telecom operator, has forged a strategic partnership with IBM to integrate artificial intelligence throughout its operations, marking a significant step in the carrier's digital transformation efforts. The collaboration establishes a dedicated AI innovation hub designed to modernize telecom operations and accelerate service delivery in one of the world's most competitive mobile markets. The partnership addresses a critical challenge facing Indian telecom operators: managing increasingly complex networks while delivering faster, more reliable services to over 200 million subscribers. As data consumption surges and 5G networks expand across India, telecom companies must streamline operations and reduce costs to...
read Aug 18, 2025Malaysia’s AI data center boom strains power grid and water supply
Malaysia's southern state of Johor has emerged as one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing data center hubs, attracting billions in investments from tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and ByteDance amid the AI boom. However, the massive infrastructure demands are straining the region's energy grid and water resources, forcing officials to slow project approvals and implement sustainability measures as the state grapples with powering what could become a 5,800-megawatt data center ecosystem. The scale of growth: Johor's data center expansion represents one of the most dramatic infrastructure buildouts in Southeast Asia, driven by AI's computational demands. The state currently operates about 580...
read Aug 14, 2025Server Economy: Foxconn profits surge 27% as AI infrastructure demand booms
Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics maker, reported a 27% surge in second-quarter profit to T$44.4 billion ($1.48 billion), beating analyst expectations driven by booming demand for AI servers. The Taiwan-based manufacturer, which assembles iPhones for Apple and servers for Nvidia, expects AI server revenue to jump more than 170% year-over-year in the third quarter as artificial intelligence infrastructure spending accelerates. Key financial highlights: Foxconn's Q2 performance significantly outpaced market forecasts, with net profit reaching T$44.4 billion compared to the consensus estimate of T$38.8 billion. The company reported record second-quarter revenue last month, primarily fueled by strong AI product demand....
read Aug 14, 2025HTC launches AI-powered Vive Eagle smart glasses for $520. In Taiwan.
HTC has entered the competitive AI-powered smart glasses market with its new Vive Eagle smart glasses, featuring a built-in AI assistant, 12MP ultrawide camera, and built-in speakers. The move positions HTC alongside tech giants like Meta, Google, Samsung, and potentially Apple in the rapidly expanding smart eyewear category, though the glasses are currently only available in Taiwan for around $520. What you should know: The Vive Eagle glasses offer AI-powered features that directly compete with Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses offerings. Wearers can use the built-in Vive AI voice assistant to translate text they're viewing into 13 different languages through AI-powered...
read Aug 13, 2025SK Hynix forecasts 30% annual high-bandwidth memory growth through 2030 as AI demand surges
SK Hynix is forecasting explosive growth in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market, projecting a 30% annual expansion through 2030 as AI infrastructure demand surges globally. The South Korean memory giant's optimistic outlook comes as it solidifies its position as Nvidia's primary HBM supplier, with the custom HBM sector expected to reach tens of billions of dollars by decade's end. What you should know: SK Hynix anticipates sustained AI demand will drive unprecedented growth in specialized memory technology over the next six years. The company projects 30% annual growth rates for HBM through 2030, fueled by expanding AI infrastructure requirements from...
read Aug 13, 2025Nvidia unveils Cosmos Reason model to help robots think before acting
Nvidia has unveiled new agentic AI and physical robotics models at the Siggraph 2025 conference, including the Cosmos Reason model, updated Omniverse libraries, and the RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPU. These advances target digital twins, physical AI systems, and enterprise computing, positioning Nvidia to capture growing demand for AI that can reason and act in the physical world. What you should know: The Cosmos Reason model represents a significant leap in physical AI capabilities, designed to help robots and vision agents think before they act. The customizable 7-billion-parameter vision-language model enables machines to "reason like humans" using prior...
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