Technology

Beijing’s ambitious plan to consolidate its fragmented semiconductor sector into a few globally competitive giants is running into serious resistance. Despite government-led efforts to merge key chip equipment makers, negotiations are stalling due to disputes over ownership structures and valuations.

❗ Clashing Interests Slow Progress
The Chinese government has been pushing for state-led mergers of key industry players to consolidate technology and build national champions. However, according to one source, there are “too many conflicting interests.” Sellers don’t want to take losses, and buyers refuse to pay inflated prices.
Although talks are reportedly ongoing, the likelihood of full consolidation is shrinking.

🧩 What Would Mergers Achieve?
Analyst Edison Lee from Jefferies says consolidation could help China build a self-sufficient ecosystem and reduce dependence on U.S. giants like Applied Materials and Lam Research. In 2025 alone, 26 semiconductor acquisitions were announced. The largest so far is a $16 billion merger between CPU maker Hygon and supercomputer company Sugon, executed via a share swap.

💸 The Problem: High Prices, Weak Assets
Bernstein analyst Lin Qingyuan notes that Chinese authorities have realized fragmented investments are too small to be effective. The focus is shifting toward developing a handful of globally competitive national champions. But many firms on the market lack “real technological moats,” according to investors, making strategic acquisitions unlikely to succeed.
Even firms best positioned to buy struggling companies are often the first to reject deals due to asset weaknesses and excessive prices.

🏭 Other Industries Join the Race
Companies from unrelated sectors – like real estate and textile machinery – are eyeing opportunities in the chip space. Still, enthusiasm doesn’t guarantee results. According to Wind data, eight announced mergers or acquisitions in 2025 have already fallen through.
For example, leading Chinese EDA company Empyrean Technology canceled its planned acquisition of smaller rival Xpeedic last month due to unresolved disagreements. Similarly, shoe manufacturer Zhejiang Aokang and knitting machine specialist Ningbo Cixing also backed out of semiconductor deals over valuation disputes.

⚖️ Sellers Refuse to Lower Prices
Analysts point out that most asset owners are unwilling to accept offers below book value – even as their financial performance declines. This inflexibility is making Beijing’s consolidation goals increasingly unfeasible.
If China truly wants to build a strong, competitive semiconductor industry, it will have to overcome not just technological, but economic and psychological barriers between companies and investors. For now, frustration outweighs unification.

#china , #GlobalMarkets , #chip , #Technology , #worldnews

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In a highly emotional move, former CNN reporter Jim Acosta published an interview featuring a digitally recreated avatar of Joaquin Oliver, one of the students killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting. The goal was to support gun reform—but instead, it has sparked a fierce ethical debate.
The interview was created in collaboration with Joaquin’s parents and the advocacy group Change the Ref, which has long campaigned for stricter gun laws in the U.S. Powered by artificial intelligence, the avatar answered questions using phrases and texts Joaquin had written while alive.

“I’m Not Trying to Bring My Son Back—I Want His Voice to Be Heard”
In the video, Joaquin’s father Manuel Oliver appears alongside the digital version of his son and emphasizes that he understands the technology behind it.
“I know this is AI. I don’t want anyone to think I’m trying to bring my son back. I can’t. But the technology exists—and it can help make a difference.”
The video was released symbolically on the day Joaquin would have celebrated his 25th birthday.

Parkland: A Tragedy That Changed America
Joaquin was one of 17 students and teachers killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The event triggered widespread protests, the March for Our Lives movement, and a renewed national debate over gun laws.

Divided Reactions: Powerful or Disturbing?
Public response on social media was sharply divided.
Some critics called the interview “creepy” and “disturbing,” raising concerns about consent, emotional impact, and authenticity. They argued that holding a conversation with a digital version of a deceased person crosses ethical lines.
“You’re basically chatting with a smart text editor,” one user commented on X.
Others expressed compassion, even among those who disagreed with the family’s political stance on gun control.
“If your child dies for any reason, you’ll do anything to preserve their memory,” wrote another commenter.

The Ethics of AI and Voices from Beyond
Change the Ref had previously used AI in its 2024 campaign “The Shotline,” where synthetic voices delivered prewritten messages from gun violence victims to lawmakers.
But this time, it wasn’t just narration—it was interactive simulation, which many say crosses a delicate boundary between tribute and impersonation.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have already warned that replicating the deceased with AI poses serious ethical challenges. They’ve called for clear consent frameworks, age restrictions, transparency, and respectful deactivation protocols for digital avatars.

A Memento from the Future: Does Technology Have the Right to Speak for the Dead?
The case of Joaquin Oliver raises a painful yet vital question: Where does technological progress end, and human dignity begin? Is AI a tool of remembrance—or a violation of memory?

#AI , #DigitalIdentity , #artificalintelligence , #Technology , #worldnews

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#technology
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LG Energy Solution (LGES), a leading South Korean battery manufacturer, has signed a major deal with Tesla worth $4.3 billion, making LGES a key supplier of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for Tesla’s energy storage systems. The agreement marks a strategic shift for Tesla as it aims to reduce its dependency on Chinese imports amid looming tariff threats from President Donald Trump.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the batteries will be produced at LGES’s plant in Michigan, USA.

South Korea Expands Business Amid U.S. Demand Surge
LGES officially announced the multi-billion-dollar deal on July 30. The agreement guarantees deliveries for over three years. While the company did not disclose the client's name or the batteries' end use, speculation suggests they may be utilized in both vehicles and energy storage applications.
With demand for electric vehicles declining since the second half of last year, LGES is leveraging the situation to boost LFP battery sales in the U.S. and solidify its position as a global battery supplier. Meanwhile, the growing number of AI-driven data center projects has created strong new demand for reliable power storage – a major growth opportunity.
When questioned about the anonymous client, LGES cited contractual confidentiality. Tesla declined to comment.

Tesla Rethinks Strategy Over Tariff Risks
Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja has previously warned that Trump’s tariff threats are hurting the company’s business and revenues. Most of Tesla’s LFP batteries originate from China, a key U.S. trade partner, now facing increasing restrictions.
This new agreement with LGES is a logical step: by sourcing batteries produced domestically, Tesla avoids tariff exposure. Recently, Tesla also signed a massive $16.5 billion chip supply deal with Samsung – another South Korean company – underlining the rising importance of Korean firms in Tesla’s supply chain.

South Korea Moves to Prevent Tariff Fallout
South Korea is actively negotiating with the U.S. to prevent the 25% import tariff scheduled for August 1. In a show of urgency, three government officials met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to seek common ground.
Although Chinese companies still dominate LFP battery production globally, they face increasing challenges entering U.S. markets. LGES is one of the few players with enough local infrastructure to step in.
The company launched its first U.S. plant in Michigan this May and now plans to expand production lines for energy storage systems — a pivot from EV batteries amid persistent market weakness.

#Tesla , #Tariffs , #Musk , #Technology , #worldnews

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Nvidia has placed a massive order for 300,000 H20 chips from Taiwanese manufacturer TSMC, just days after Donald Trump lifted the export ban on chip sales to China. The move immediately triggered renewed interest from Chinese tech giants, which had previously been racing to secure access to H20 chips.
According to Reuters, Nvidia decided to restart production of these chips—specifically designed for the Chinese market—as demand quickly outpaced its existing stockpile of 600,000 to 700,000 units. While H20 chips are less powerful than Nvidia’s high-end H100 and Blackwell series, they still fully support the company’s software stack and comply with the revised U.S. export regulations.

Why H20? And Why Now?
The H20 chip was developed in response to earlier U.S. sanctions banning the export of advanced GPUs to China. Though less computationally intensive, H20 chips offer enough performance for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who recently visited Beijing, told Chinese clients that the company would only resume production if they committed to significant purchases. Even then, he warned, restarting the supply chain could take up to nine months.

Chip Sales Tied to Rare Earth Trade Talks
The export ban reversal wasn’t a coincidence—it was part of broader Trump administration negotiations with China over rare earth magnets, a strategic commodity that Beijing has been restricting amid rising trade tensions. These magnets are crucial to U.S. industries from defense to electric vehicles.
In return for allowing H20 exports, the U.S. hopes to secure more consistent supplies of rare earth elements. However, critics in Washington argue that even a scaled-down chip like the H20 could enable China to strengthen its AI infrastructure and compete with the U.S. in strategic technologies. Concerns remain about how these chips may be used once they cross the border.

China’s Demand Is Surging
Tech giants like Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance had already bulk-ordered H20 chips before the April ban. Now, with demand only growing, Nvidia is asking Chinese buyers to submit updated documentation and forecasts, including end-client projections, to help speed up the approval process through the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Reportedly, Nvidia has already sold over 1 million H20 chips. With the new batch of 300,000 units on the way and more in reserve, the company appears confident that Chinese demand is strong enough to justify the commercial and political risks—though exports won’t move forward until official export licenses are granted.

#NVIDIA , #artificalintelligence , #china , #Technology , #AI

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,,The information and views presented in this article are intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as investment advice in any situation. The content of these pages should not be regarded as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. We caution that investing in cryptocurrencies can be risky and may lead to financial losses.“

Blockchain technology is a distributed ledger system that allows secure and transparent transactions without the need for intermediaries. The technology gained widespread recognition with the creation of Bitcoin, the first decentralized cryptocurrency. Since then, blockchain technology has evolved beyond just cryptocurrencies and has been used in various industries such as finance, healthcare, and supply chain management. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what blockchain technology is, how it works, and its potential applications.

What is #Blockchain Technology?

At its core, a blockchain is a decentralized database that is shared across a network of computers. It records transactions in a way that is secure, transparent, and tamper-proof. Every transaction on the blockchain is verified by a network of computers, and once it is validated, it cannot be changed. This makes the blockchain an immutable ledger, providing a level of trust and transparency that is not possible with traditional centralized databases.

How does Blockchain Technology Work?

A blockchain consists of a series of blocks that are linked together. Each block contains a set of transactions, and once a block is added to the chain, it cannot be altered. The process of adding a block to the chain is called mining, which is done by a network of computers that compete to solve a complex mathematical problem. Once a miner solves the problem, the new block is added to the chain, and the miner is rewarded with cryptocurrency.

Each block in the blockchain contains a unique code called a hash. The hash is a digital fingerprint that represents the contents of the block. If someone tries to change the contents of a block, the hash will no longer match, and the block will be rejected by the network. This makes it virtually impossible to tamper with the blockchain.

Blockchain #technology uses a consensus mechanism to ensure that all transactions are validated by the network. There are several consensus mechanisms, including Proof-of-Work (PoW) and Proof-of-Stake (PoS). PoW is the most commonly used consensus mechanism in blockchain networks and is used by Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. PoS is an alternative consensus mechanism that uses a different approach to validate transactions.

Applications of Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology has many potential applications beyond cryptocurrencies. One of the most promising areas for blockchain is supply chain management. By using blockchain technology, companies can track the movement of goods from the point of origin to the point of consumption. This can help prevent fraud, reduce costs, and increase efficiency.

Another area where blockchain technology can be used is in healthcare. By using blockchain technology, healthcare providers can securely share patient data across a network of providers. This can help improve patient outcomes by providing healthcare providers with more complete information about a patient's medical history.

Blockchain technology can also be used in voting systems to prevent fraud and ensure transparency. By using blockchain technology, voters can be sure that their vote has been counted and that the results of an election are accurate.

Final Words

Blockchain technology is a game-changer that has the potential to transform many industries. Its ability to provide secure, transparent, and tamper-proof transactions makes it a powerful tool for businesses, governments, and individuals. While blockchain technology is still in its early stages, its potential is enormous, and we can expect to see more applications of blockchain technology in the years to come.