Emerges

• China has released a mysterious and ultra-powerful AI system known as Ox Alpha, signaling a significant leap in its domestic technological capabilities. • The emergence of this system has intensified global concerns that China is rapidly closing the gap with Western leaders, specifically the United States, in the AI arms race. • This development matters as it shifts the geopolitical balance of power, potentially giving China a strategic advantage in economic productivity and military intelligence.

• A new field called "tokenomics" is emerging as companies struggle to accurately measure the return on investment (ROI) for their AI spending. • The Linux Foundation's Tokenomics Foundation is working to establish industry-wide standards to help firms evaluate the financial impact of AI investments. • In the absence of standards, some firms are creating internal metrics, such as cybersecurity company Elisity's "bionic head count," which compares AI and human output against revenue.

Rebeca Grynspan seen as continuity candidate with tacit support from current secretary general, António GuterresA Costa Rican diplomat and former vice-president whose parents were refugees from the Holocaust has become the surprise frontrunner to lead the United Nations as its first female secretary general.Rebeca Grynspan, whose parents emigrated to Central America from Poland – and whose maternal grandparents were killed by the Nazis – is the current head of the UN conference on trade and development (UNCTAD), a body that has exhaustively tallied the economic damage inflicted by Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. Continue reading...

• Data center growth is accelerating across Southeast Asia, with Malaysia emerging as a primary hub for new infrastructure. • Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam are also actively expanding their capacity to support the region's increasing digital demands. • This shift is critical as AI infrastructure becomes a primary growth engine for the region's economic development.

• DeepSeek officially released its V4-Flash model on Friday, positioning it as the world's cheapest AI model to operate. • The launch is a strategic effort by the company to regain market momentum by leveraging its specialty in providing ultra-low-cost AI alternatives. • This move comes as DeepSeek faces intense competition from Chinese rivals including Moonshot, MiniMax, Z.AI, ByteDance, and Alibaba.

• The United States and Iran have entered an apparent pause in their direct military strikes, though tensions remain high. • A new front has emerged in the Red Sea as Houthi rebels threaten a campaign against Saudi shipping unless a long-standing blockade is lifted. • This escalation risks expanding the scope of Middle East conflicts by introducing maritime instability and threatening critical trade routes.

• Manila served as a diplomatic hub this week, hosting the four-day 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings. • The event featured approximately 120 bilateral engagements focused on critical issues, including regional security, the South China Sea, Myanmar, and various geopolitical conflicts. • DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro stated that the gathering proved ASEAN's capacity to convene major global powers despite rising international tensions.