Wednesday, June 17, 2026 · 10 stories
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Alibaba released the Qwen Robot Suite, three foundation models aligning language with physical actions. Qwen-RobotNav handles navigation and driving, Qwen-RobotManip standardizes manipulation across robot platforms, and Qwen-RobotWorld predicts future physical outcomes. The suite bridges the gap between vision-language understanding and physical control.
Commodore unveiled the Callback 8020, a $499 Sailfish OS flip phone that blocks social media, browsers, email, and workplace apps to discourage doomscrolling. It runs most Android apps and supports messaging, music, maps, ridesharing, hotspots, a removable battery, T9 texting, Commodore SID ringtones, and included games like Snake.
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek raised over 50 billion yuan ($7.4 billion) in its first external funding round, at a valuation exceeding $50 billion. Founder Liang Wenfeng personally committed roughly 20 billion yuan. The deal cements DeepSeek as China's most valuable AI startup.
Google began rolling out Android 17 to Pixel phones on Tuesday, June 16, with a June Pixel Drop and Wear OS 7. The update introduces Bubbles floating windows, a foldable gaming mode, and tighter privacy controls. Gemini Intelligence will arrive on select flagship devices later this summer.
Jeff Bezos is investing in Cambridge, UK-based CuspAI, which applies generative AI to material sciences. The investment is part of a $400 million funding round that values the company at $2.6 billion.
Amazon invested in an AI start-up that builds models to simulate the physical world. The start-up focuses on creating digital environments for training and testing. This backing signals Amazon's interest in advanced simulation technology for real-world applications.
An IBM study finds limited control and rising dependencies leave enterprises exposed in the age of AI. The research highlights growing risks from third-party AI tools and data pipelines. Companies face increased vulnerability without stronger governance over their AI supply chains.
Huawei's resurgence is testing the effectiveness of US chip export restrictions. The company has managed to produce advanced processors despite sanctions. This development challenges the intended impact of American technology controls on the Chinese firm.
Xiaohongshu, often called China's Instagram, is preparing a Hong Kong IPO. The listing could value the social commerce platform at over $70 billion. The company operates a popular app combining e-commerce with user-generated content.
Microsoft refreshed its Surface lineup with Snapdragon X2 chips, including the Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8. The Snapdragon X2 Elite boosts graphics up to 53% on the Pro and 58% on the Laptop, with battery life up to 15.5 hours on the Pro and 20 hours on the 13.8-inch Laptop. Starting price is $1,499.
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