Tech Briefing | Yuchengdong Launches New Qianji M9: Earth's Strongest SUV / SK Hynix Reaches $1 Trillion Market Cap / XiaoHongshu Secures FIFA World Cup Exclusive Broadcast Rights

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SK Hynix's Market Cap Surpasses $1 Trillion

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Alibaba Adjusts 13th-Month Salary Distribution Policy

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Multiple AI Platforms Respond to Rumors of Restricted Answering During Gaokao

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NVIDIA Retires Game Driver Support for Its 20-Year-Old GeForce Control Panel

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UC Berkeley Law School Tightens Student AI Usage Rules

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Kuaishou Q1 Revenue Reaches 33.7 Billion Yuan, KeLing AI Grows Over 300% Year-On-Year

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YouTube Moves AI Labels to Main Video Interface

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Porsche Plans to Reduce Annual Production Capacity to Approximately 200,000 Units

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Lin Haibin Returns to ByteDance Seed Team

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Figure AI Partners with Catalyst Brands on Warehouse Humanoid Robots

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Changxin Technology's STAR Market IPO Approved

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Spotify CEO: Controlled AI Music More Preferable Than Piracy and Unauthorized Generation

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Lei Bird GT Series & V4 Launched Starting at 1,899 Yuan

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NIO ES9 Officially Released, Starting at 498,000 Yuan

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New Wenjie M9 Launched, Starting at 479,800 Yuan

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Bang & Olufsen Collaborates with Fragment on Four Audio Products

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Stardust Intelligence Launches Rope-Driven Robot T1 Starting at 89,900 Yuan

SK Hynix's Market Cap Surpasses $1 Trillion

SK Hynix shares surged as much as 11% intraday, pushing its market capitalization to 1,605.72 trillion KRW (approximately 7 trillion RMB or $1 trillion USD). This milestone follows a 1,019% increase in share price over the past year, driven primarily by sustained demand for HBM high-bandwidth memory.

SK Hynix becomes the latest semiconductor/tech giant joining NVIDIA, Microsoft, TSMC, Broadcom, etc., achieving the "$1 trillion highlight moment" in global chip industry history.

Alibaba Adjusts 13th-Month Salary Distribution Policy

Alibaba announced an internal memo yesterday stating that starting from FY2027, the traditional 13th-month salary will revert to its original nature as an annual bonus, renamed "Together Forward Annual Bonus." It will be combined with performance-based annual bonuses, displayed separately as two components of the total year-end compensation.

The original 13th-month salary, typically paid between December and January, will now be deferred to April-May when merged with annual bonuses. The first "Together Forward Annual Bonus" will be distributed in 2027 for employees who remain employed from January 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027, amounting to 1.25 months' salary.

Multiple AI Platforms Respond to Rumors of Restricted Answering During Gaokao

According to Red Star News, multiple AI platforms have responded to online discussions about potential restrictions on AI tools during China's national college entrance exam (Gaokao). DouBao customer service stated that while the platform remains accessible, functions like photo-based question answering will be disabled during exam periods, displaying corresponding restrictions on the interface.

Tencent staff confirmed that last year's Gaokao saw Yuanbao explicitly prohibiting exam-related answers and suspending related services. Baidu's responsible party indicated no official notice of restricted functionality for its ERNIE Bot during this year's exam period. iFLYTEK stated they haven't received definitive information but expect similar restrictions for large language models.

Last year's exam period saw similar measures: Tencent's Yuanbao disabled image summary features during exam hours, Alibaba's Tongyi app shut down photo-based problem-solving services, and apps like Quark, DouBao, and Kimi restricted exam-related content.

NVIDIA Retires Game Driver Support for Its 20-Year-Old GeForce Control Panel

NVIDIA released GeForce Game Ready 610.47 WHQL drivers on May 26 local time, officially discontinuing Game Ready and Studio driver support for its classic NVIDIA Control Panel. The company stated that all GeForce user-facing control panel functionalities have been migrated to the new NVIDIA App client.

Existing installations of the NVIDIA Control Panel will remain functional, but new drivers will no longer maintain corresponding features for consumer GeForce GPUs. Professional GPU users are temporarily unaffected, with RTX PRO workstations continuing to support the control panel until professional features migrate to the NVIDIA App.

The approximately 20-year-old GeForce Control Panel will gradually exit mainstream consumer interfaces.

UC Berkeley Law School Tightens Student AI Usage Rules

Reuters reports that UC Berkeley School of Law's new AI policy, effective summer 2026, restricts students from using chatbots in coursework and exams. The policy focuses on limiting AI use in concept development, outlining, drafting, editing, translation, and exam settings, emphasizing the need for independent reasoning and writing skills in legal education. Limited AI-assisted proofreading remains permitted.

Kuaishou Q1 Revenue Reaches 33.7 Billion Yuan, KeLing AI Grows Over 300% Year-On-Year

Kuaishou Technology announced Q1 2026 financial results:

Total revenue reached 33.7 billion RMB (+3.4% YoY); KeLing AI revenue exceeded 650 million RMB (+over 300% YoY), with annualized run rate nearing $500 million. IFRS net profit was 2.91 billion RMB (-27.0% YoY).

Key highlights:

• Online marketing services: 19.6 billion RMB (+9.3% YoY)
• Live streaming: 8.5 billion RMB (-13.5% YoY)
• Other services (including KeLing AI): 5.6 billion RMB (+15.9% YoY)

Gross margin narrowed from 54.6% to 51.2%, operating profit margin declined to 10.7%, primarily due to increased sales costs and R&D expenses (+9.8% YoY to 3.62 billion RMB).

KeLing AI, launched in February 2026, became the quarter's standout growth driver. Its 3.0 series models supporting full-modal input/output powered the "Baseball Scene" special effects feature, topping App Store charts in 42 countries/regions. Daily active users averaged 412.7 million, monthly actives reached 771.7 million.

YouTube Moves AI Labels to Main Video Interface

The Verge reports YouTube is relocating AI disclosure labels to more prominent positions. For standard videos, the "AI" label will appear below the player and above the description; Shorts will display it as an overlay.

This applies to "realistic" or "substantially AI-altered" content. Previously, viewers needed to expand descriptions to find disclosures; new labels explicitly state "AI" with informational icons. Non-realistic, animated, or minimally altered content will still disclose via expanded descriptions.

YouTube will also implement new internal detection signals this month. If creators fail to disclose AI usage, but systems detect significant realistic AI elements, the platform will automatically apply AI labels. Creators can update disclosure status via YouTube Studio; however, content generated with YouTube's Veo/Dream Screen tools or containing C2PA metadata proving full AI creation will retain labels.

Porsche Plans to Reduce Annual Production Capacity to Approximately 200,000 Units

Der Tagesspiegel reports Porsche's new CEO Michael Leiters is planning to scale back operations, targeting ~200,000 annual production capacity and aiming to restore operating margins to 10-15% by 2030.

After selling 280,000 units in 2025 (down >30k YoY), Q1 2026 sales fell another 15%. Cost-cutting negotiations with employee councils focus on Weisach R&D Center (~5,200 employees), where up to 25% of positions may be eliminated.

Lin Haibin Returns to ByteDance Seed Team

KnowFuture reports former ByteDance large model training lead Lin Haibin has rejoined the Seed team to continue overseeing large model training. Lin joined SSI (founded by OpenAI's Ilya Sutskever) in December 2025 but returned within six months.

At ByteDance, Lin led foundational large model training technologies, developing distributed training frameworks, GPU recommendation systems, and the open-source veRL training framework.

Figure AI Partners with Catalyst Brands on Warehouse Humanoid Robots

Catalyst Brands and Figure AI announced their collaboration to deploy humanoid robots in supply chain automation at Catalyst's Reno Distribution Logistics Center. Initial focus areas include repetitive, physically demanding tasks.

Figure's next-generation robots will prioritize assisting Joey Pouch sorting systems in warehouse workflows like inbound processing, sorting, and packaging.

Changxin Technology's STAR Market IPO Approved

Caixin reports the Shanghai Stock Exchange approved Changxin Technology Group Co., Ltd.'s IPO application. As China's leading DRAM manufacturer, the company plans to raise ~$3.96 billion (28.4 billion RMB).

💡 Spotify CEO: Controlled AI Music More Preferable Than Piracy and Unauthorized Generation

Guardian reports Spotify CEO Alex Norström defended the company's AI music initiatives in Financial Times interviews. He emphasized Spotify aims to provide a "controlled" alternative where artists consent to and benefit from AI-generated works, contrasting with piracy and unauthorized AI tools.

Following a licensing deal with Universal Music Group, Spotify plans to allow subscribers to create AI-generated covers/remixes. Norström stressed the need to embed licensing, consent, and payment mechanisms into product design, proposing AI music frameworks that track authorization chains and charge additional fees for expanded uses like generating multiple remix versions.

Lei Bird GT Series & V4 Launched Starting at 1,899 Yuan

Lei Bird Innovation held its summer launch event at TCL Chinese Theatre Hollywood, unveiling AR cinema glasses GT Series and upgraded AI camera glasses V4.

GT Series (1,899-2,599 yuan):

• GT Max: Peacock Light Engine 3.0 Max with hybrid glass-plastic prism module, 59° FOV, 267-inch equivalent screen size, 78g weight
• GT: 201-inch screen experience, 68g weight
• Features: Dual-layer Micro-OLED displays, Vision 4000 image processor, Zone 360 spatial computing chip supporting three anti-shake modes
• Audio: Bang & Olufsen-tuned quad-speaker system with hardware-level head-tracking spatial audio

V4 (2,199 yuan+): Upgraded AI response speed, battery life, photography capabilities, and IP rating compared to V3.

• Equipped with the high-performance Snapdragon AR1 and the BES2800 dual-core协同 architecture, it wakes up in 0.2 seconds and responds to AI queries in 2.1 seconds.
• The battery capacity has increased by 57% compared to the previous generation, allowing for continuous music playback for up to 11.5 hours, over two weeks of standby, and fast charging to 80% in just 25 minutes within the box.
• It features the industry's first 1:1 aspect ratio square sensor, with a single-pixel light-sensitive area that is 109% larger than the IMX681;
• The memory configuration consists of 4GB + 64GB, marking the first time it reaches an IP67 dustproof and waterproof rating.

The Launch of E-NOW ES9, Starting at RMB 498,000

E-NOW released its new flagship SUV, the E-NOW ES9, yesterday. Delivery will begin on May 28th. Here are the prices:

• The Executive Luxury Edition starts at RMB 498,000 for whole vehicle purchase or RMB 390,000 for BaaS battery leasing;
• The Signature Edition starts at RMB 558,000 for whole vehicle purchase or RMB 450,000 for BaaS battery leasing;
• The Horizon Special Edition starts at RMB 628,000 for whole vehicle purchase or RMB 520,000 for BaaS battery leasing.

The ES9 is powered by a 102kWh battery, offering a CLTC range of 620km for the Executive Luxury Edition, and 600km for both the Signature Edition and the Horizon Special Edition. It features a 900V dual-motor system with peak power of 520kW, achieving a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.3 seconds.

In terms of configuration, the ES9 includes a second-row zero-gravity executive seat, a double-sided executive desk, an 8.8L electric opening smart refrigerator, two 16-inch NIO Link exclusive executive screens, rear-wheel steering, dual-chamber air suspension, external valve CDC, sapphire full-range AR-HUD, and 31 high-performance sensing hardware components.

Huawei Launches New Harmony M9, Starting at RMB 479,800

Yesterday, the newly launched Harmony M9 was officially unveiled, available in standard and Ultimate Long Wheelbase versions. The starting price is RMB 479,800. The standard version measures 5285mm in length and 3125mm in wheelbase; the Ultimate Long Wheelbase version measures 5402mm in length and 3236mm in wheelbase.

The car offers both hybrid and pure-electric models. The pure-electric model has a CLTC range of up to 750km, while the hybrid model has a combined range of up to 1405km. The Harmony M9 is equipped with an 800V dual-carbon silicon high-voltage platform, delivering a total horsepower of 903匹, a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3.99 seconds, and featuring the full-blooded Spirit Platform, rear-wheel ±8° steering, six laser radar matrices, and ADS 5 autonomous driving systems.

The Ultimate version also includes four zero-gravity seats, rotating seats, privacy glass, and a starry night roof.

B&O and Fragment Collaborate on Four Custom Audio Products

According to IT Home, Bang & Olufsen collaborated with fashion designer藤原浩 Fragment Design to launch four custom audio products, priced from RMB 3,198. Each product incorporates Fragment's distinctive lightning bolt logo and brand name.

• Beosound A1 Portable Speaker: RMB 3,198;
• Beoplay H100 Headphones: RMB 15,480;
• Beosound Shape Wall Mount Speaker: Japanese price 1,066,300 yen, approximately RMB 45,500;
• Beosystem 9000c Audio System: Only sold in Japan, price 106,629,000 yen, approximately RMB 45,500.

The brand claims this collaboration marks the first time highly specialized anodized and hand-polished techniques have been applied to some portable works. The Fragment collaboration further integrates B&O's premium audio products into trendy collection and limited lifestyle consumption scenarios.

Star Dust Intelligent Launches Rope Drive Robot T1 for RMB 89,900

Star Dust Intelligent announced the release of its latest generation rope drive AI robot, T1, yesterday. The starting price is RMB 89,900, and deliveries are scheduled to begin on June 1st. This is the company's first time bringing a high-precision robotic solution under RMB 90,000.

The T1 stands at 1.55 meters tall and weighs about 66 kilograms, boasting 23 degrees of freedom (excluding the end effector), with a single arm load capacity of 5 kilograms.

The product continues Star Dust Intelligent's rope drive transmission scheme, which the official claims reduces friction and maintains smooth motion compared to traditional rigid structures, thereby passing more complete real-time force control data to AI.

Ant Group Launches First AI Glasses Willit on Taobao

Ant Group quietly launched its first self-developed AI glasses, Willit, which is now available on Taobao. The accompanying mobile app, Willit AI, is also available on the app store. The sales entity is Beijing Ant Zuoer Technology Co., Ltd.

Willit is priced at RMB 899 and is positioned as a lightweight entry-level AI glasses product. Information on the product page indicates that this pair of glasses emphasizes daily wear, voice capabilities, and AI assistant functions, managed through an app for device connection and function management.

Bonsai Image 4B Brings Local Generative Art to iPhones

PrismML released the Bonsai Image 4B series of image generation models, designed to run diffusion models on smartphones and local devices. Official data shows that generating a 512x512 image takes about 9.4 seconds on an iPhone 17 Pro Max and around 6 seconds on a Mac M4 Pro.

Size and memory usage are highlights: the 1-bit version compresses the Transformer size to 0.93GB, reducing it from 7.75GB for the full-precision FLUX.2 Klein 4B by a factor of 8.3. When generating a 512x512 image, the average active memory for the 1-bit and Ternary versions is 1.5GB and 1.96GB respectively, compared to 11.74GB for the full-precision version.

PrismML states that the Ternary version retains approximately 95% accuracy in a 1.21GB volume.

Pinduoduo Reports Q1 Revenue of RMB 106.2 Billion, Net Profit Down 15%

Pinduoduo released its first-quarter financial report for the period ending March 31, 2026. Revenue for the quarter was RMB 106.2 billion, a 11% year-over-year increase. Net profit attributable to ordinary shareholders was RMB 12.5 billion, down 15% year-over-year. Non-GAAP net profit was RMB 14.1 billion, down 17% year-over-year.

Revenue structure-wise, transaction service revenue was RMB 56.3 billion, a 20% year-over-year increase. Online marketing services and other income were RMB 49.9 billion, up from RMB 48.7 billion last year. On the cost side, revenue costs were RMB 46.9 billion, a 15% year-over-year increase. Research and development expenses were RMB 4.4 billion, up from RMB 3.6 billion last year.

Management defined this year as the starting point for deep adjustments in business operations, internal processes, and organizational structure. Co-Chairman and Co-CEO Jian Lei stated that the company would assume the responsibilities of a platform enterprise. Co-Chairman and Co-CEO Jiazhin then mentioned that supply chain investment would be a core strategic priority.

Over 500 Million Monthly Active Users for WeChat Mini Games

According to Caixin Finance, at the WeChat Mini Game Developer Conference, the official disclosed that the monthly active user base for WeChat Mini Games exceeds 50 million users, with an average daily gameplay duration of 60 minutes.

The conference also revealed developer-side data: there are over 500,000 WeChat Mini Game developers, and more than 300 games have quarterly revenue exceeding RMB 10 million. Mini Games have evolved from a lightweight entertainment entry point to a stable game distribution and monetization channel within the WeChat ecosystem.

New Rules for Fatigue Driving Do Not Apply to Taxis and Ride-hailing Services

According to界面新闻, the "Regulations for Determining Fatigue Driving in Motor Vehicle Drivers" will take effect on June 1st, used in road traffic accident investigation and handling procedures to determine motor vehicle driver fatigue driving behavior.

Regarding whether the regulation stating "motor vehicle drivers engaged in passenger transport should be deemed to be fatigued if they accumulate a driving time of over 8 hours within 24 hours" applies to taxis and ride-hailing services, the draft regulation's preparer said that this provision is based on the "Guidelines for Safety Management of Road Passenger Transport Enterprises." After consulting the Ministry of Transport, it was confirmed that this guideline applies to bus passenger transport, charter passenger transport, tourist passenger transport, etc., but does not apply to taxi and ride-hailing services.

For truck drivers, there are no specific regulations on consecutive driving times, and the general rules for motor vehicles apply: driving a motor vehicle continuously for more than 4 hours without stopping for rest, or resting for less than 20 minutes, should be deemed to be fatigued.

Xinhong Shu Secures Exclusive Broadcast Rights for the FIFA World Cup

Yesterday, late news outlet LatePost reported that Xinhong Shu has obtained exclusive broadcast rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and considers this the most important community project of the year. Xinhong Shu has set two goals for the FIFA World Cup project internally: to push the current active user base from over 170 million to 200 million, and to expand the station's user structure using sports content.

The report mentions that Xinhong Shu decided to participate in the FIFA World Cup copyright negotiations early in the year and ultimately secured the relevant rights. The World Cup runs for about 40 days, and the platform needs to handle live streaming products, traffic distribution, community interaction, and commercial承接 simultaneously.

Final Teaser for Toy Story 5 Released

The animated film Toy Story 5, produced by Disney Pixar, has been set for a simultaneous release in China and North America on June 19th, and a final teaser trailer has been released. The trailer focuses on the conflict between traditional toys and digital technology, showcasing a rogue army of 50 malfunctioning Buzz Lightyears. The plot revolves around Andy's cowboy toy, Woody, with the original cast members returning.

This is the return of the Toy Story franchise after seven years. The new film incorporates changes in children's entertainment methods into the story, showing how old toys face competition from electronic products and digital life.

Venomous Spider-Man Streaming on Netflix

According to blogger "Guardian Hollywood," the live-action independent series Venomous Spider-Man has officially launched on Amazon Prime Video, with all episodes available at once.

The show is adapted from the Marvel Comics character Spider-Noir, with the protagonist inspired by the 'colorless' Venomous Spider-Man from the animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The series adopts a retro black-and-white film style, telling the story of the city's only superhero facing his past. The series offers both black-and-white and color versions for viewers to choose from.