technology

Positive Spin: Can AI and Algorithms Fix China’s Content Crisis?

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Kuaishou is the latest platform to announce plans to combat mounting concerns over fraud, privacy breaches, and user manipulation.

He Qitong

Can News Survive the Rise of AI?

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

A 2019 court decision helped lay the groundwork for AI news in China. But protections for media outlets are sorely needed.

Joanne Kuai

In Shanghai, Brain Implants Turn Thought Into Speech and Movement

The breakthrough in brain-computer interface technology opens possibilities for patients with speech and motor impairments.

Fan Yiying

Touch and Go: Will Alipay’s ‘Tap!’ Gamble Pay Off?

The tech company is trying to disrupt China’s mobile payment market. The response from merchants and shoppers has been mixed.

Li Xin

China’s Facebook Goes Dark, Taking a Generation’s Memories With It

Renren captured campus life, friendships, and milestones before smartphones and cloud storage. This week, its sudden suspension left a generation scrambling to salvage their digital past.

Chen Yiru

Lost and Found: Seeking Solace in Street View Snapshots

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

Netizens struggling with grief or homesickness are turning to street-level navigation apps in search of lost loved ones and former homes.

White Night Workshop

China to Launch Latest Crewed Space Mission

Shenzhou-19 will carry a new crew to China’s Tiangong space station, where they will perform a series of scientific experiments.

Ding Rui

China’s Solution for Trash-Strewn Mountains: Robot Dog Porters

The four-legged robots are being used to remove tons of garbage from Mount Tai — and guilt-trip tourists who litter.

Cracking the Love Code: The Struggles of AI Romance Apps

Developers of AI software in China have found it difficult to convert romance into revenues despite users’ desire to splash out on virtual lovers.

Hu Xiu

‘Flying Cars’ Are Part of China’s New Economic Growth Plan

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

China is targeting a new economic growth driver by opening up the skies to drones and helicopters.

Li Miaoran

Huawei Takes a Bite Out of Apple With Rival Phone Launch

The tech giants are going head-to-head in China by launching new handsets on the same day. And the momentum appears to be with Huawei.

China Now Has Nearly 1.1 Billion Internet Users, Report Finds 

The country gained more than 7 million new users in the first half of 2024, with many signing up to watch short video content.

Learning to Walk — In an Exoskeleton

Visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization.

MULTIMEDIA

Lü Xiao

Liu Zhuo’er

How AI Hosts Flooded China’s Livestream Platforms

The bots are cheap, obedient, and never need to take a break from hawking goods. But do customers actually like them?

Dong Ziqing

On the Go: The Humans Steering the Future of China’s Robotaxis

Safety operators and the data they collect are playing a crucial role as Baidu’s Apollo Go program looks to further expand in Wuhan and beyond.

Beijing Youth Daily

In Wuhan, Robotaxis Put China’s Self-Driving Ambitions to the Test

With government support and backing from tech giants, robotaxis are rapidly integrating into daily life in China. But the rollout is sparking a nationwide debate.

Ye Zhanhang

Wang Jingyang

Raised by ‘Wolves’: The Rise of China’s Cutthroat Start-Up Scene 

Your questions, answered. In-depth interviews with the minds and makers shaping today’s China.

Q & A

How did “wolf culture” become part of Chinese tech culture’s DNA?

Cai Yineng

With AI, China’s New Hit Dramas Are Virtually Writing Themselves

More and more of China’s ultrashorts are now being crafted entirely by AI, from script to special effects. But as the technology advances, concerns about creativity and authenticity continue to grow.

Lin Liuhan

Behind the Numbers: China’s Big Market for Mini Games

The tiny titles have found a niche catering to players uninterested in their larger, less nimble app-based competitors.

Luo Yahan

Baidu’s Mass Robotaxi Rollout Stirs Heated Debate in China

Hundreds of Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxis are now operating on the streets of Wuhan, but it has been far from a smooth ride.