Australia Flags Child Safety Gaps at Apple, Meta, Google Over Online Sexual Extortion 
BHP Faces Major Port Hedland Strike as Labor Talks Stall Ahead of Production Report 
Nvidia Tightens AI Chip Sales in Asia With Stricter Customer Approval Process 
Zhipu AI Raises HK$31.37 Billion in Discounted Share Sale to Accelerate AI Growth 
Bain Capital Exits Kioxia After AI-Fueled Valuation Surge 
Yaskawa Electric Shares Slide as Weak Profit Overshadows Strong AI Demand 
EU to Propose New Rules Limiting Children's Access to Social Media 
Mastercard Explores Sale of Majority Stake in UK Payments Firm Vocalink: Report 
Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong Expected to Meet Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on AI and Chip Partnership 
SpaceX Stock Draws Bullish Wall Street Coverage Ahead of Nasdaq-100 Inclusion 
OpenAI Executive Fidji Simo to Step Down Amid Health Challenges Ahead of IPO 
Rio Tinto Reports Strong Q2 Iron Ore Sales, Maintains 2026 Production Outlook 
SK Hynix Soars 13% in Nasdaq Debut After Record $26.5 Billion IPO 
Apple Sues OpenAI, Former Employees Over Alleged Trade Secret Theft 
Chinese Chip Stocks Jump as Apple Reportedly Tests CXMT Memory Chips for China Devices 
TSMC Q2 Revenue Surges 36% as AI Chip Demand Powers Growth Ahead of Earnings 
Taiwan Mangoes Head to Europe as Premium Fruit Exports Expand 
Chinese technology giant ByteDance has announced the launch of a new AI-powered voice control assistant that will debut on an upcoming smartphone from ZTE Corp. The tool, built on ByteDance’s Doubao large language model, enables users to perform tasks through natural voice commands, including searching for content, making bookings, and managing daily functions. The company says the assistant will later expand to devices from additional smartphone manufacturers.
The new AI feature positions ByteDance as a strong competitor against other Chinese smartphone makers such as Huawei and Xiaomi, both of which have already integrated advanced AI capabilities into their devices. Apple’s own Apple Intelligence has not yet entered the Chinese market, creating an opportunity for domestic companies to attract users seeking powerful on-device AI. Alibaba has also announced plans to work with Apple to introduce localized AI features for iPhones in China.
ByteDance’s voice assistant will first appear on the ZTE Nubia M153, a prototype smartphone priced at 3,499 yuan (about $495). The device is available for limited pre-orders and has already boosted investor confidence. ZTE’s shares surged 10% on Monday—its highest level since late October—fueled by excitement over the new handset and reports of the company securing multiple 5G equipment contracts in Vietnam.
ByteDance emphasized that it has no intention of producing its own smartphones. Instead, the company is actively collaborating with various phone manufacturers to integrate its AI assistant widely across the market. This strategy aligns with ByteDance’s growing influence in consumer AI, largely driven by Doubao, its fast-growing chatbot.
According to data from Aicpb.com, Doubao recorded 159 million monthly active users in October, far surpassing Tencent’s Yuanbao with 73 million users and DeepSeek with 72 million. With strong adoption and expanding partnerships, ByteDance is positioning itself at the forefront of China’s rapidly evolving AI ecosystem.
