Krypton Evening News | OpenAI to Integrate ChatGPT into the US Department of Defense's Generative AI Platform; Codelco's Investment Budget to Reach $3.9 Billion This Year
Large Companies:
France's Wine and Spirits Exports Down 8% to 14.3 Billion Euros in 2025
The French Federation of the Wine and Spirits Industry said on Tuesday that France's wine and spirits exports fell 8% to 14.3 billion euros in 2025, marking the third consecutive year of decline. Since 2022, wine and spirits exports have cumulatively dropped 17%, slipping from France's second-largest export sector to the third, behind aerospace and cosmetics. (Caixin)
Kering's Q4 Sales Down 3% YoY, Gucci's Sales Slide for the Tenth Consecutive Quarter
Financial results released by French luxury giant Kering on Tuesday showed that its Q4 sales decline was smaller than market expectations. The group's Q4 sales reached 3.9 billion euros (about $4.64 billion), down 3% year-on-year after adjusting for exchange rate fluctuations. This figure was better than the 5% decline generally expected by analysts. The comparable sales of the group's Gucci brand dropped 10% in Q4, slightly better than the 12% decline expected by analysts. This is the tenth consecutive quarter of sales decline for the brand. (Sina Finance)
OpenAI to Integrate ChatGPT into US Department of Defense's Generative AI Platform
It is reported that the US Department of Defense will cooperate with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its generative artificial intelligence platform GenAI.mil for convenient use by 3 million personnel. (Jiemian)
Shenzhen Airport: Passenger Traffic Up 2.84% YoY in January
36Kr learned that Shenzhen Airport announced that in January 2026, passenger throughput was 5.8795 million person-times, up 2.84% year-on-year; cargo and mail throughput was 168,600 tons, up 1.98% year-on-year; and flight takeoffs and landings were 39,121 sorties, up 0.52% year-on-year.
ING to Sell About 230 Million Euros of Bad Debts in Spain
The Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation ING is reportedly seeking to sell about 230 million euros (about $273 million) of bad debts from its Spanish subsidiary. The bank is in talks with investors about this portfolio of secured and unsecured non - performing loans, and the sale is expected to be completed in April. (Caixin)
Vidu Q3 Tops the Artificial Analysis List in Q3
36Kr learned that on February 10, the international AI benchmark testing institution Artificial Analysis released an evaluation list. In this list, Vidu Q3 ranked first globally, outperforming xAI Grok, Runway Gen - 4.5, Google Veo 3.1, and OpenAI Sora 2 in overall performance.
Data from the Taobao Flash Sale platform shows that as the Spring Festival approaches, searches for Spring Festival - related New Year goods have increased. The sales of New Year goods on Taobao Flash Sale have increased by over 347% year - on - year, and orders in tier - 3 and - 4 cities have increased by over 580% year - on - year. It is understood that Taobao Flash Sale has launched a "No Closure During Spring Festival" service. This Spring Festival, the number of operating merchants on the platform has increased by 32.9% year - on - year. The online stores of chain supermarkets and Taobao convenience stores in key cities across the country have an operating rate of over 90% during the Spring Festival, covering not only the core business districts of key cities but also extending to county - level and township communities, effectively meeting the immediate needs of people returning home for the New Year.
SMIC: Expected Q1 Sales Revenue to Remain Flat QoQ, Gross Margin between 18% - 20%
36Kr learned that SMIC announced that looking forward to 2026, for SMIC, there are both opportunities for the industrial chain to return and challenges brought by the large memory cycle. Considering all factors, the company's guidance for Q1 is that sales revenue will remain flat quarter - on - quarter, and the gross margin will be between 18% and 20%. Assuming no major changes in the external environment, the company's guidance for 2026 is that the sales revenue growth rate will be higher than the average of comparable peers, and capital expenditure will be roughly the same as in 2025.
Sony to Stop Shipping Blu - ray Recorders
Sony announced on February 9 (local time) that it will gradually stop shipping Blu - ray Disc (BD) recorders this month. Sony has stopped producing recorders and halted the production of BD discs for recording and other purposes in February 2025. (Jiemian)
Investment and Financing:
US California's Clean Truck Incentive Program to Reserve $165 Million for Tesla Semi
According to the electric vehicle website electrive.com, California's Clean Truck Incentive Program has reserved about $165 million for Tesla's Semi truck, even though the electric truck has not entered mass production. The allocation of this funds has raised concerns within the electric - truck industry about market concentration, certification processes, and the impact on competing zero - emission vehicle manufacturers. California's Hybrid and Zero - Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) aims to accelerate the electrification of medium - and heavy - duty vehicles, and Tesla's share of the funds far exceeds that of any other manufacturer. (Sina Finance)
Recently, there were market rumors that Chinese high - end fashion brand ICICLE was considering an IPO of its parent company, ICCF Group, in Hong Kong or Paris. ICICLE responded that it had "no comment" on the rumors. (Jiemian)
bp Suspends Stock Repurchases and Increases Cost - Cutting Target
On February 10, bp reported an adjusted net profit of $1.54 billion in Q4, a 32% year - on - year increase, compared with an estimated $1.53 billion. bp said that the expected proceeds from completed and announced asset divestitures have now exceeded $11 billion, including the sale of 65% of Castrol's shares. bp announced that it will raise the group's structural cost - cutting target to between $5.5 billion and $6.5 billion by the end of 2027. bp also announced that the board of directors has decided to suspend stock repurchases and use all surplus cash to accelerate the strengthening of the balance sheet. (Jiemian)
Google's Parent Company ALPHABET Launches First Swiss Franc Bond Issue
It is reported that Google's parent company ALPHABET has launched its first Swiss franc bond issue. (Caixin)
New Products:
ERNIE Bot Connects to "Global Search", Baidu Encyclopedia Launches International Version BaiduWiki
36Kr learned that on February 10, Baidu Search launched "Global Search", which has achieved in - depth indexing and understanding of hundreds of billions of high - quality contents globally and has been seamlessly integrated into Baidu's ERNIE Bot. Baidu can provide users with one - click access to information and services from around the world. On the same day, Baidu Encyclopedia announced the launch of its international version, BaiduWiki, which initially supports five languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese, officially entering the stage of global knowledge service from a Chinese - language knowledge platform.
Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center Releases Embodied Tiangong 3.0
On February 10, the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center officially released the new - generation general robot platform, Embodied Tiangong 3.0. With the core goal of being "more open and easier to use" and relying on the self - developed "Huisi Kaiwu" general embodied intelligence platform, this robot has significantly improved in aspects such as body stability, motion control, coordinated operation of the embodied "big brain" and "small brain", and fully autonomous operation. It is also the first full - size humanoid robot in the industry to achieve touch - interactive whole - body high - dynamic motion control. (Securities Times)
Tencent Cloud Launches One - Stop AI Comic Drama Solution
36Kr learned that recently, Tencent Cloud, in cooperation with DataEyeL!NK, held an AI comic drama ecosystem exchange meeting in Nanshan, Shenzhen, and launched a one - stop AI comic drama solution. This solution deeply integrates Tencent Cloud's AIGC generation capabilities and media processing MPS technology, aiming to solve the common production and operation pain points in the comic drama industry and help enterprises improve efficiency and quality across the entire chain from scriptwriting, video generation to global promotion and distribution.
Qwen Launches New - Generation Image Generation Basic Model Qwen - Image - 2.0
36Kr learned that Qwen announced the launch of the new - generation image generation basic model Qwen - Image - 2.0. API invitation testing has been opened on Alibaba Cloud's Bailing platform, and developers can also experience the new model for free through Qwen Chat (chat.qwen.ai).
Today's Views:
EU's Top Court Sends WhatsApp Privacy Dispute Back to Lower Court for Retrial
The EU's top court sent the legal dispute between Meta's WhatsApp and EU privacy regulators back to a lower court for retrial on Tuesday. The Irish government fined WhatsApp 225 million euros in 2021 because WhatsApp failed to inform users how it shared their personal information with Facebook, violating the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It is worth noting that Ireland originally planned to fine only 50 million euros but significantly increased the fine amount under pressure from other EU countries. (Caixin)
Standard Chartered's CFO Resigns to Pursue External Job Opportunity
On February 10, it was reported that Standard Chartered said its Chief Financial Officer Diego De Giorgi had stepped down immediately to take up an external job opportunity. Standard Chartered said Peter Burrill had been appointed as interim Chief Financial Officer. On February 9 (local time), Apollo Global Management announced that Diego De Giorgi would join the company as a partner and head of Europe, Middle East, and Africa operations. (Jiemian)
Other Notable News:
Codelco's Investment Budget Reaches $3.9 Billion This Year
It is reported that Codelco, the state - owned copper mining company of Chile, has approved an investment budget of $3.914 billion for 2026, including $3.289 billion in principal and value - added tax. (Jiemian)
Google's Parent Company Alphabet Launches First Pound Sterling Bond Issue, Including a Century Bond
It is reported that Google's parent company Alphabet has launched its first pound sterling bond issue. This transaction consists of 3 - year, 6 - year (long - term), 15 - year (long - term), 32 - year, and 100 - year bonds, and pricing is expected to be determined later today. (Jiemian)