related ref cities ai
Firstly we need to be careful - where is everyone using a nvidia platform - as far as we know nvidia's self driving platform is used the world over - neither us nor china self-driving would exist withoiut it. This is also part of nvidia startegy- it seesdriverless ai as gateway to all autonomous robot ai in sense of being fiorts big market before humanoid robots leverage partly similar platforms. Indeed Nvidia appears not that interested in separating 3 types of Ai - chat , reasoning and physical becuase all 3 certainly needed before mobile autonomous machines appear in public places. NB in factories, robots may already be huge
The future if city design leaps forward when public autonomous machines appear because these map data of pretty mujch everything the city linksin.
The way nvidia (and so taiwan looks at things) agentic ai and digital twin ai may be needed everywhere at the sme time. Agentic ai applications range from being part of ai ceos project teams ti being 21st C tecahers (while human teachers specialise in coaching) Digital twin ai can replicate any system that has leapt forward in robotic use because robots usually hac]=ave collected intelligence needed to eg replicate factiories or to design placxes infrastructure. Cities need to ask about edication and coopertion ai in prettyy much every public service; ...
China Watch; As well as china's largest sself driving cars Apollo (outpacing?ing googles waymo) Wight's Baidu has bio network BioMap, a life sciences and AI firm with offices in Beijing, Suzhou, Hong Kong, and Palo Alto.4 BioMap announced the first life science AI foundation model to hit 100+ billion parameters, which it calls the largest of its kind.5 In 2024, BioMap signed an agreement with the Hong Kong Investment Corporation, a government-owned fund, to launch a bio-computing innovation accelerator program in Hong Kong to develop the biotechnology ecosystem there.6 It and other biotechnology companies use AI to design biological products. Companies like these then work with China’s leading biomanufacturer, WuXi AppTec, to produce them at scale in its global network of facilities. WuXi AppTec, , manufactures essential ingredients for widely used medications that treat leukemia, lymphoma, obesity, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
CONFUSION IN AMERUICAN HEALTH
India and China are far largest in manufacturing generics. This preced AI & BioI. This can be national security critiical but typically not highly profitable. It may well be that usa needs to invest in someting other than big pharma 1) to embrace all biotech not just blockbuster druigs; 2) to be self sufficient oin generics; 3 if it is ever to get better value total health - at obver 17.5% americans spend at least 5 points higher than eg germany and their life expectamcy is equivalent to Estonia. Largely these are internal us system problems not international competition ones
When we talk about driverless cars, China's BYD leads the world. When we compare this with Tesla, BYD certianly learnt from being inspired by Musk. Whether it took tech from Musk is ratrher l.ike did musk's starlink take low lateency sat\ellite of 5G AI from Zengfei's Huawei.
If you look at work of Ai superpowers Kai Fu Li, you will that 2010s proven ai wasnt much to do with 2020s leaps- biotech's 250 million protein of hassabis - the combo of ai chat *reasoning*physical whcich goes back to whether machines can learn the 5 human senses - fei fei li's question when she landed in stanfiurd 2009 having been largely ignored by princeton.
Wjat was Kai FU Li's ai about. when you look at china leading ai startups around 2015, ai was deisinging company processes partly becuase china had leapt past the stage of bricks retialing or supply chians. The processesof chinese comoanies were in some ways engineered by ai before american comanies. In any event when we ask whether eg tik tok or deep seek have better algorithm designers we need to bera all of abpve in mind in integbrating foudation mosels
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reagrding cars here is how grok3 sees it
- Waymo collaborates with Zeekr, a brand owned by Chinese automaker Geely, to build its next-generation robotaxis. These vehicles are designed in Sweden and manufactured in China but are fitted with Waymo’s American-made self-driving technology in the U.S. Waymo insists no Chinese software or connected tech is used, addressing concerns about U.S. tariffs and bans on Chinese vehicles.
- In 2018, Waymo established a subsidiary, Huimo Business Consulting, in Shanghai to explore the Chinese market, focusing on logistics and self-driving car part design. This was a strategic move to engage with China’s autonomous vehicle market, but Waymo remains an American entity.
- Details:
- Company: Baidu, Inc., through its Apollo platform, is a leader in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. Apollo provides an open-source platform for self-driving systems, including software, hardware, and cloud services.
- Scale: By 2022, Apollo had logged 25 million kilometers of test driving, far surpassing competitors in Beijing (2018–2020). It operates robotaxi fleets in cities like Beijing, Shenzhen, and Wuhan, with commercial permits for driverless services in multiple Chinese cities by 2023.
- Partnerships: Collaborates with automakers like Geely (Jidu brand), SAIC, GAC, Ford, and Toyota, integrating Apollo’s tech into their vehicles. It also works with WeRide and AutoX for LiDAR and hardware.
- Technology: Leverages Baidu’s AI, mapping, and data from search queries/videos, enabling robust AV training. Apollo’s Duer OS powers in-car systems, and its LiDAR and chip development (e.g., Kunlun chips) enhance autonomy.
- Market Impact: Apollo’s 1,000+ robotaxis (2023) and permits for Level 4 autonomy (fully driverless in specific conditions) make it a leader. X posts highlight Baidu’s robotaxi expansion in 2025, with users noting its edge over XPeng and Pony.ai in scale.
- Why Largest?: Baidu Apollo’s test mileage, commercial deployments, and partnership breadth outpace competitors like WeRide (1,000+ robotaxis, but less funding), AutoX (1,000+ robotaxis, but smaller scale), Pony.ai (strong in California, but fewer China permits), and XPeng (focused on ADAS, not full autonomy). Sources like The China Project (2023) rank Apollo highest for its data-driven AI and government support.
- Details:
- Company: BYD Auto, a subsidiary of BYD Company, is headquartered in Xi’an, Shaanxi, and specializes in battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and electric buses/trucks. Founded in 2003 after acquiring Xi’an Qinchuan Automobile, it’s now the world’s largest EV maker by sales.
- Scale: In 2024, BYD sold 4 million vehicles (90% in China), surpassing Tesla (3 million) and Volkswagen. It produced 3 million new energy vehicles (NEVs) in 2023, overtaking Tesla globally. By 2025, BYD’s Qin and Song models dominate China’s EV market.
- Technology: BYD’s Blade Battery (lithium iron phosphate, LFP) powers its EVs, with FinDreams Battery as the world’s second-largest EV battery producer (behind CATL). Its vertical integration (70% in-house components) lowers costs, achieving a 16% profit margin on models like the BYD Seal (vs. Tesla’s 14%).
- Global Reach: Exports to Europe, South America, and Thailand (e.g., Rayong plant, 2024, 150,000 vehicles/year). BYD’s $10,000 Seagull and God’s Eye autonomy (2025) compete with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving.
- Market Impact: BYD overtook Volkswagen as China’s top-selling car brand in 2023 and is the third most valuable carmaker globally (2024). X posts praise BYD’s affordability and fast-charging, though some critique its smart driving vs. Tesla.
- Why Largest?: BYD’s sales volume (4 million in 2024), production capacity (3 million NEVs in 2023), and market cap outstrip competitors like SAIC Motor (5.37 million total vehicles in 2021, but fewer EVs), Geely (1.3 million, EV-focused via Zeekr), NIO (premium, 31,000 in Q1 2023), and XPeng (tech-focused, smaller scale). Sources like CNN (2025) and Wikipedia confirm BYD’s dominance.
- Ownership:
- Baidu Apollo: Baidu, Inc. is a publicly listed company on the NASDAQ (BIDU) and Hong Kong Stock Exchange, founded by Robin Li. Its shareholders include institutional investors (e.g., BlackRock, T. Rowe Price) and public investors. Apollo is a division of Baidu, fully owned by the parent company.
- BYD Auto: BYD Company is a publicly listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (1211.HK) and Shenzhen Stock Exchange, founded by Wang Chuanfu. Major shareholders include Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett, ~8%), Wang Chuanfu, and public investors. BYD Auto is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BYD Company.
- No Common Ownership: No evidence suggests shared parent companies, cross-shareholding, or joint ventures directly linking Baidu and BYD. Both operate independently, with Baidu as a tech/AI firm and BYD as an automotive/battery manufacturer.
- Collaborative Ties:
- Investment: In 2020, BYD invested in RoboSense, a LiDAR supplier for Baidu Apollo, alongside other AV firms like WeRide. This is a minor, indirect link, not co-ownership.
- Technology: Baidu Apollo’s Duer OS and mapping tech could integrate with BYD’s DiLink system (BYD’s in-car OS), but no formal partnership is confirmed. BYD’s God’s Eye autonomy (2025) is developed in-house, not using Apollo’s platform.
- Market Dynamics: Both benefit from China’s government subsidies for EVs and AVs (e.g., Made in China 2025), but this is industry-wide, not co-ownership.
- Critical Note: Some sources (e.g., The China Project, 2023) mention Baidu’s partnerships with Geely (Jidu brand) and BYD’s LiDAR investments, which might suggest overlap. However, these are commercial collaborations, not ownership ties. X posts speculating on “Chinese tech mergers” lack evidence for Baidu-BYD co-ownership.
- Baidu Apollo competes with Waymo in Level 4 autonomy, with Apollo leading in China’s complex urban roads (e.g., Beijing) and Waymo in U.S. cities (e.g., San Francisco). Both are in Bloomberg 2007 hubs (Beijing, San Francisco).
- BYD integrates self-driving tech (e.g., God’s Eye), like Waymo’s robotaxis, and collaborates with Geely (Waymo’s Zeekr partner), but focuses on affordable EVs, unlike Waymo’s premium AVs.
- Scientific Diplomacy: Beijing (Baidu) and Xi’an/Shenzhen (BYD) are biotech/AI hubs, like Boston/Toronto from your prior query. Baidu’s AI health projects and BYD’s battery tech support biotech innovation, relevant to Siddhant Balachandran (Moderna) and Helen Branswell (STAT News).
- Largest Self-Driving Company: Baidu Apollo (Beijing), leading with 25 million km of test driving, 1,000+ robotaxis, and partnerships (e.g., Geely, SAIC).
- Largest Electric Car Manufacturer: BYD Auto (Xi’an), with 4 million vehicles sold in 2024, 3 million NEVs in 2023, and Blade Battery tech.
- Co-Owned?: No, Baidu and BYD are independent, with no shared ownership, only minor ties (e.g., RoboSense investment).
- Waymo Context: Baidu Apollo rivals American Waymo in AV tech, while BYD competes with Tesla in EVs, both in Bloomberg 2007 cities (Beijing, Shenzhen).
