Xi Calls for Open AI Collaboration, Signaling Shift in China's Stance

The Trump administration is developing a new export control rule targeting a significant loophole in chip restrictions: Chinese AI firms' ability to access advanced semiconductors remotely through data centers in Thailand, Singapore, and other countries. The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security is crafting this replacement to the Biden-era AI diffusion rule, which Trump's team had pledged to undo. The new rule could be shared with industry for feedback as early as September.

Sandhya Devanathan, a Meta executive, has departed the company to join OpenAI, where she will oversee operations across Southeast Asia and Australia. The move comes as Meta faces intensifying regulatory scrutiny in India. The executive transition reflects broader competition between tech giants for talent and regional influence in Asia-Pacific markets.

OpenAI and Thailand's Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (MHESI) have launched an eight-week accelerator program supporting 10 startups in health, wellness, and education sectors. The program aims to help these startups advance AI prototypes toward market-ready, trustworthy products. This represents a direct effort by OpenAI to build AI entrepreneurship infrastructure in Southeast Asia.

Dimension Capital, a VC firm founded by former partners at Lux Capital and Obvious Ventures, conducted a week-long visit to China to study the country's AI and biotech startup ecosystem despite ongoing U.S. and Chinese restrictions on cross-border tech investments. The firm's partners briefed limited partners on competitive dynamics in Chinese tech, including open-weight AI models and data labeling practices. The visit signals continued U.S. VC interest in understanding China's fast-growing tech sector as a window into future AI development trends.