Issue #64 of Data+AI in Asia

Welcome to a new edition of  Data+AI in Asia! This week, the newsletter covers how OpenAI sees Zhipu AI as a rival, Thailand commits to invest US$15.4 billion in AI infrastructure, AWS launches innovation hub in Singapore, Alibaba releases a new image creation model, Anthropic opens its first regional office in Tokyo, China’s iFlyTek launches medical AI and classroom tech in Hong Kong as it expands internationally, and the question of whether indonesia’s FOMO in the global AI race hinders real progress.

Enjoy!

This week in Data+AI in Asia:

• OpenAI Says Chinese Startup Zhipu AI Is Gaining Ground in the Global AI Race

• Thailand Commits to Invest Over US$15bn in AI Infrastructure by 2027

• AWS Launches Its First APAC Innovation Hub in Singapore

• China’s Alibaba Launches Its New AI Model Qwen VLo for Image Creation

• Anthropic Opens Its First Asia Office in Tokyo

• iFlyTek Releases Medical AI and Smart Classroom Tech in Hong Kong

• Is Indonesia’s Fear of Missing Out in the AI Race a Hindrance to Real Progress?

OpenAI Says Chinese Startup Zhipu AI Is Gaining Ground in the Global AI Race

OpenAI has reported that Chinese AI startup Zhipu AI has made significant progress in providing infrastructure solutions to governments and state-owned firms in non-Western markets. The company, which has previously urged US companies to support US companies in their competition with Chinese rivals, believes Zhipu AI represents China's answer to OpenAI's international initiative. Zhipu AI is expanding its international presence, in part by leveraging China’s Belt and Road initiative. OpenAI says the company represents China’s “hopes of building a self-reliant, globally competitive AI ecosystem that rivals America's and lessens dependence on American tech.” Similar to OpenAI’s project “OpenAI for Countries” which it launched in May, Zhipu AI has developed a "Digital Silk Road" strategy, offering AI solutions in regions like Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Zhipu is considered one of China's "four AI tigers" and is supported by investors like Alibaba Group Holdings and Tencent Holdings.

Read more here (paywall)

Thailand Commits to Invest Over US$15bn in AI Infrastructure by 2027

Thailand has committed to investing US$15.4 billion in AI infrastructure by 2027. It recently announced plans to develop an AI Governance Practice Center (AIGPC) in Bangkok in partnership with Unesco. The center will be the first in the region and will promote information exchange, training, and collaboration. The aim is to develop AI talent, and the goal is to reach 10 million users, 90,000 professionals, and 50,000 developers. The government is also building open-source AI infrastructure and a national data center with an investment of US$61 million, aiming to generate value from AI across key industries worth US$50 million in targeted impact. The new AI Governance Practice Center will be located at the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry in Chaeng Watthana, with Unesco committed to sending staff to work at the center. The head of Thailand’s Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) has said that the center will help make Thailand a regional hub of AI governance in the Asia-Pacific.

Read more here

AWS Launches Its First APAC Innovation Hub in Singapore

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has opened its first Asia Pacific Innovation Hub in Singapore, aiming to drive enterprise adoption of cloud and AI technologies. The 8,000-square-foot facility provides immersive spaces for CEOs and business leaders to engage with AWS and its suite of technologies, and over 30 partner solutions spanning 50 real-world use cases. The hub will support training 2,000 professionals per year in hot job areas such as AI and cloud computing. The hub is split into three zones: the Aspiration Zone, where emerging technologies like generative AI, quantum computing, and virtual reality can transform Asia Pacific businesses and communities; the Acceleration Zone, where guests can learn from Amazon's unique culture of innovation; and the Action Zone in the Working Backwards Studio, where customer discussion is summarized into a vision board to help customers visualize their ideas and develop concrete roadmaps with AWS. AWS aims to host over 1,000 C-suite leaders and business decision-makers at the hub every year and will also offer an exclusive learning experience to 200 students from Singapore's tertiary education institutions. In addition, the company’s AI Springboard initiative will help 300 Singapore-based enterprises adopt and scale AI over the next 12 months in partnership with Digital Industry Singapore. 

Read more here

China’s Alibaba Launches Its New AI Model Qwen VLo for Image Creation

Alibaba Group Holding has released a new AI model, Qwen VLo, capable of generating and editing images with finesse akin to human artistry. The model is a comprehensive upgrade from previous models and supports multiple languages, including Chinese and English. The model also supports diverse input and output formats, making it useful for creating posters, illustrations, web banners, and social media covers. A preview of the Qwen VLo is available on the company’s Qwen chat. Alibaba is investing over 380 billion yuan (US$52 billion) in AI infrastructure over the next three years and is committed to open-source its Qwen models. The company has also been recognized as a leader in open-source AI in Time Magazine's 2025 list of the 100 Most Influential Companies. Alibaba’s introduction of Qwen VLo further fuels competition in China’s AI ecosystem. Competitors such as ByteDance and SenseTime also work with multimodal models that can interpret different types of input, such as text, audio, and video.

Read more here (paywall)

Anthropic Opens Its First Asia Office in Tokyo

The American AI company Anthropic plans to open its first Asian office in Tokyo this autumn to meet demand for labor-saving technology in Japan. The move was influenced by the country's promising AI market. Anthropic was founded in 2021 by CEO Dario Amodei and another previous executive of OpenAI. It is most known for its Claude chatbot and large language models (LLMs). The company has received funding of US$8 billion from investors such as Amazon and Google. The new facility will focus on business-to-business sales and customer support, with local hiring already underway. Anthropic plans to enhance the Japanese-language user experience for Claude on personal computers and smartphones. Last year, this newsletter reported that OpenAI opened up its first Asia office in Tokyo in April 2024.

Read more here (paywall)

iFlyTek Releases Medical AI and Smart Classroom Tech in Hong Kong

China’s voice recognition giant iFlytek has launched AI products in Hong Kong. The company recently set up its international headquarters in the city to support its global expansion. The company is offering an upgraded version of its Spark medical large language model (LLM) V2.5 to organizations in Hong Kong, assisting medical professionals in diagnosis and treatment. The company has also launched a Hong Kong version of its healthcare chatbot app Xiaoyi for consumers in the city. Hong Kong will play a major role in iFlytek's medical AI efforts, as it offers English-language medical data and overseas training of local doctors could improve the capabilities of its medical LLM. iFlytek is betting that its lack of reliance on foreign technology will attract Chinese firms amid US measures to curb the mainland's access to cutting-edge chips. The company was barred from purchasing advanced US chips back in October 2019 when it was added to the US Entity List.

Read more here (paywall)

Is Indonesia’s Fear of Missing Out in the AI Race a Hindrance to Real Progress?

In an East Asia Forum piece, Annadi Muhammad Alkafar argues that Indonesia's recent announcement to develop its own ChatGPT equivalent reveals a reactive approach driven by fear of missing out rather than strategic planning. After the release of DeepSeek, the Indonesian government started talking about developing Indonesia's own GPT or DeepSeek equivalent. AI is expected to contribute an estimated US$366 billion to the country's economy by 2030. However, the author argues that the focus should extend beyond generative AI to applied AI solutions that directly benefit society. AI is already being applied across multiple sectors in Indonesia, including healthcare, bureaucratic reform, research and education, food security, and smart cities. The National AI Strategy for 2020-2045 focuses on these five key areas. A central argument in the article is that the Indonesian government's plan to develop its own GPT, despite inadequate prior planning and deviation from the National AI Strategy, suggests a reactive approach driven by fear of missing out. Instead, the country should focus on leveraging AI for more tangible applications, such as small business solutions or agricultural programs, that provide direct benefits to society. The five key areas outlined in the National AI Strategy should remain the priority, rather than pursuing unrealistic competition with global powers. As the Indonesian government has introduced a range of budget cuts this year, the argument is not without merit. The author notes that balancing AI innovation with the efficient use of economic resources for initiatives directly impacting national development and wellbeing can help Indonesia integrate AI into its economy and society in a sustainable and meaningful manner.

Read more here