8点1氪丨SK海力士CEO称史上最大存储短缺将在明年到来；苹果起诉OpenAI窃取商业机密；赛力斯预计上半年净亏损15亿元-18亿元
Today's Hot Highlights
- A piece of turf from the World Cup final sold for 3050 yuan and was quickly sold out after being listed
- Sinopec completes the restructuring of China National Aviation Fuel
- Juli Sling was fined 4.5 million yuan for misleading statements
- SK Hynix considers "Memory as a Service" model, which may allow customers to lease chips instead of purchasing them
- Musk reportedly requires Tesla employees to switch to using Grok
TOP 3 Major News
SK Hynix CEO: 2027 Will Be the Tightest Supply Year in the Memory Industry's History
On the evening of Friday, July 10, US Eastern Time, SK Hynix Chief Executive Officer Kwak Noh-jung projected publicly that 2027 will mark the tightest supply scenario in the history of the global memory sector. "Customers are now flocking to SK Hynix to secure long-term supply agreements. Demand keeps rising, yet our production capacity is constrained. Even as we make every effort to expand our capacity, customer demand is likely to outpace our supply capabilities well beyond 2030," he stated. He also noted that the United States is on the shortlist of potential fab locations, though no final decision has been made. The company will prioritize sites with favorable conditions in terms of cost, land, water and electricity access, and skilled technical workers, with the US, Japan, and Southeast Asia all under consideration. (Sina Tech, Securities Times)
Apple Sues OpenAI in High-Stakes Lawsuit Over Alleged Trade Secret Theft, OpenAI Responds
Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging trade secret theft, claiming the company conspired to steal confidential information related to Apple's unreleased products. Apple asserts that OpenAI encouraged its employees to share details of unannounced products, components, schematics, and other proprietary materials to develop its own full line of hardware devices. Apple is demanding that OpenAI cease all related activities, destroy every piece of Apple's proprietary information, and redesign its upcoming products to ensure they contain no Apple technology whatsoever. In response, OpenAI stated it has no interest in other companies' trade secrets and remains fully focused on building innovative technologies. (CLS)
Seres: Estimated Net Loss for H1 Hits 1.5-1.8 Billion Yuan
36Kr learned from an official announcement by Seres that the company projects a net loss attributable to shareholders of 1.5 billion to 1.8 billion yuan in the first half of 2026, compared to a profit of 2.941 billion yuan recorded in the same period of the previous year. Driven by factors including rising prices of key raw materials such as memory chips, industrial metals and lithium carbonate, the company's production costs have increased accordingly. Adhering to the prudence principle to further consolidate overall asset quality and align with the expected future returns of assets, Seres has adjusted the book value of some existing assets with limited adaptability caused by technical iteration and vehicle model upgrades. Affected by the above factors, the performance of its core subsidiary AITO Automobile has fluctuated, shifting from profit to loss. As a result, the company expects its consolidated net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company for the current period to be negative.
Cutting-Edge AI Updates
Meta Urgently Pulls Controversial AI Image Generation Feature
Social media giant Meta this week launched a new feature that allowed users to @mention public Instagram accounts to generate AI images using others' public content. The feature launched with public content eligible for use by default, sparking intense concerns from organizations including SAG-AFTRA over portrait rights infringement and potential criminal risks. Meta stated the related feature "failed to meet expected outcomes" and decided to fully discontinue it. (Cls.cn)
FansAI Acquires OPC Company Xinying Technology
According to news on July 11, FansAI, an AI content and interactive film production company, announced the full acquisition of Xinying Technology, an AI music application developer. This is a rare exploratory merger and acquisition case in the current OPC field. (Sina Finance)
Tencent in Talks to Acquire Manus? Insiders: Tencent Will Remain a Minority Shareholder
On July 11, reports emerged that Tencent is negotiating to become the largest shareholder of general AI Agent company Manus. According to the reports, a Chinese capital group led by Tencent is seeking to acquire all of Manus's shares from Meta at an estimated valuation of around $2 billion. Reporters reached out to Tencent for confirmation, but the company had not issued a response as of press time. Another insider revealed to reporters that after the transaction, Tencent will maintain its position as a minority shareholder and will not hold a controlling stake. (Southern Metropolis Daily)
Musk Reportedly Urges Tesla Employees to Adopt Grok
According to reports, Elon Musk informed Tesla staff in a memo that given Grok 4.5 has lower token costs than its competitors, employees should switch to Grok "wherever possible". He also requested engineers to send him direct feedback on the model via email. (JIEMIAN News)
Major Corporations & Key Events
Zhipu AI Founder Tang Jie Sends Internal Letter: After the "GLM Moment", What Matters More
36Kr has exclusively learned that on July 11, Tang Jie, the founder of Zhipu AI, released an internal letter titled *The Giant Wave Has Arrived* within the company. The letter states that Zhipu AI will not pursue short-term application monetization, but instead directly target the next high ground of AGI: long-range task capabilities, fully autonomous agent systems, self-evolution, and extreme security governance. Over the past six months, Zhipu AI has achieved its most glorious milestone since its founding: its market value has increased 10 times compared to the initial stage of its listing half a year ago, and in June 2026, it officially entered the "Trillion Hong Kong Dollar Club".
CXMT's IPO opens for online subscription on Thursday, set to become the largest IPO on the A-share market this year
Pursuant to the issuance schedule, the online subscription for CXMT's initial public offering will launch on July 16. As a domestic memory chip giant, the company secured IPO approval on May 27 and obtained registration effectiveness on June 12. For its upcoming listing on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board, CXMT plans to raise up to 29.5 billion yuan, which will not only make it the largest IPO on the A-share market this year, but also the second-largest IPO in the history of the Sci-Tech Innovation Board — second only to SMIC's 53.2 billion yuan offering. The maximum online subscription limit for CXMT is 1.672 million shares, requiring a corresponding Shanghai market capitalization of 16.72 million yuan for full subscription eligibility. Wind data indicates that CXMT is the new share offering with the largest number of shares issued since the start of this year, as well as the largest new share issuance by share count in the Sci-Tech Innovation Board's history. This suggests that CXMT's lot winning rate is expected to be relatively high. (CCTV Finance)
US Republican "Hawkish" Senator Lindsey Graham Passes Away
The communications director for the office of US Republican "hawkish" Senator Lindsey Graham posted on a social media platform in the early hours of July 12 Eastern Time, announcing that Graham died on the evening of July 11 local time at the age of 71 due to a sudden illness. It is understood that Lindsey Graham was born in 1956 in South Carolina, USA. He was a Republican senator and served as the chairman of the US Senate Budget Committee during his lifetime. Graham took a tough stance on most foreign policy and security issues. He maintained a close relationship with US President Donald Trump, and is widely regarded as one of the key figures pushing Trump to launch military action against Iran. He once described the US-Iran conflict as a "battle for oil resources". (CCTV World Express, Jimu News)
A Piece of Turf from the World Cup Final Sells for $450, Sold Out Shortly After Launch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will be held at New York New Jersey Stadium, but FIFA has pre-released pieces of the final match's turf for $450 per unit. This turf collectible was quickly sold out after being listed on the official FIFA Store. Product images from the FIFA Store show that a small patch of green grass is encased in a plexiglass cube printed with markings including "New York New Jersey Stadium" and the match date. The outer packaging is a black gift box. The product bundle also includes a USB drive containing an official authentication video. The item is labeled with dimensions "17.5×17.5×17.5" with no specified unit, and no clarification of whether the measurement refers to the turf patch, the plexiglass cube, or the outer box. Shipping will commence after the conclusion of the World Cup Final, and the product is currently only available for delivery to the United States and Europe. (CCTV Finance)
Unitree G1 Robot Completes Two In-Vivo Surgeries and is Featured in Nature
The international academic journal Nature recently published a paper titled In-Vivo Feasibility Study of Humanoid Robots for Surgical Procedures. This research, conducted by the team from the University of California, San Diego (UCSanDiego), successfully utilized the Unitree G1 humanoid robot to perform remote-controlled laparoscopic cholecystectomies on two live pigs. This marks the world's first in-vivo surgical study involving a humanoid robot to be featured in Nature. However, the research team also emphasized that a series of technical challenges still need to be overcome before humanoid robots can truly replace or assist human doctors in clinical deployment.
DJI Responds to Drone Airlift Rescue: Imitation Not Advised, Damaged Rescue Equipment Will Be Repaired Free of Charge
According to reports from Blue Whale News, regarding the recent "aerial human-lifting" rescue operation using drones during the Guangxi floods, DJI officially stated yesterday that in principle, drones are strictly prohibited from carrying people, and the human-lifting operation was a special measure only taken in an emergency rescue scenario, and imitation will still not be recommended in the future. Official information shows that most of the drones participating in this rescue are DJI FC100 and FC200 series heavy-lift drones, with a price range from 77,999 yuan to 170,999 yuan. For rescue operations, DJI's agricultural and heavy-lift product lines have launched a post-rescue care policy: all equipment that malfunctions or gets damaged during rescue operations will receive free repair services from authorized service centers after verification. (Blue Whale News)
Meta Faces $1.4 Trillion Fine Over Alleged Violations of Minor Rights
Four U.S. states have jointly accused Meta of using addictive algorithms to manipulate minors and concealing the negative impacts of its platforms on adolescent mental health, seeking damages as high as $1.4 trillion. Across the United States, 29 states have already filed related lawsuits. Meanwhile, the European Commission has released a preliminary report under the Digital Services Act, demanding that Meta revise addictive design features such as "autoplay" and "infinite scroll" — or face a massive fine equal to 6% of its global annual revenue. Meta has denied the allegations and stated it will continue its legal defense. (CCTV Finance)
After Leaving Yu Minhong, Sun Dongxu Partners With Former EAST BUY Streamers Shi Ming and Tian Quan to Launch a New Company
Recent corporate registry checks by reporters reveal that "Beautiful Tomorrow (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd." was officially established on July 10. Data from the Qichacha enterprise inquiry platform lists three shareholders: Sun Dongxu, Shi Ming, and Guo Tianquan — names that match the former EAST BUY CEO and the platform's ex-streamers Mingming and Tianquan respectively. The three have made capital contributions of 3.4 million yuan and 3.3 million yuan each, with Sun Dongxu holding the largest 34% equity stake and serving as the company's manager, director, and head of finance. Additionally, public records from the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System show the company's business scope includes wholesale and retail of fresh meat, aquatic products, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables, cosmetics wholesale and retail, performance brokerage services, and online cultural operations. (Source: Blue Whale News)
Xiaomi Responds to Pricing Speculation Surrounding the Pengcheng N90
Xiaomi Auto has officially addressed online rumors about the purported price of its new extended-range SUV, the Pengcheng, stating that many of the circulating speculations deviate from the fundamental cost logic of vehicle manufacturing. The company is calling on the public to view pricing expectations rationally. This new model is designed to emphasize versatile family-oriented space, positioned as a parallel offering to the existing sedan product line. The exact launch date will be announced soon, and all official details should be sourced directly from official channels.
Additionally, during the 259th installment of its user Q&A series, Xiaomi also addressed questions regarding the Pengcheng's market launch preparations, whether such a large vehicle would be cumbersome to drive, and what the viral "paint protection film removal" video was about. (Sina Finance)
Tesla Orders a Sprint to 100,000 Annual Optimus Units, Musk Declares: It Must Be Done, or the Entire Procurement Team Will Be Replaced
Recently, multiple sources familiar with Tesla's supply chain revealed that Tesla has recently issued specific procurement guidelines for Optimus components to its suppliers. Tesla requires that production capacity be increased to 1,000 units per week by September this year, and to 2,000 to 2,500 units per week by the end of the year. Based on the projected weekly production capacity at the end of the year, suppliers will then have the annualized capacity to supply components for approximately 100,000 Optimus units to Tesla. According to media reports, Musk issued a clear order to the team during a meeting: the production capacity target must be achieved by the end of the year, otherwise the entire Optimus procurement team will be replaced. A supply chain insider stated that this demonstrates Tesla's determination more effectively than any written order guidance. (21st Century Business Herald)
Disney Reportedly Mulls Launching Free Ad-Supported Version of Disney+
According to sources, Disney is exploring the possibility of launching a free streaming service that would allow users to access a selection of Disney+ content without paying a subscription fee. Over the past decade, continuous price hikes for subscription plans across major streaming platforms have driven a growing number of viewers to free ad-supported platforms such as YouTube. Exactly what content Disney's free streaming tier will offer remains undisclosed. However, the company already made moves into the vertical short-video format earlier this year, integrating original short-form content with promotional clips. (IT Home)
Sinopec Completes Restructuring of China Aviation Oil
According to Sinopec's press office, Sinopec has announced the completion of the restructuring of China Aviation Oil, which has officially become a second-tier wholly-owned subsidiary of Sinopec. This is an important measure to promote the strategic and professional restructuring of central state-owned enterprises, as well as a proactive move to serve national strategies and cope with international competition. It will enhance the capacity and level of safeguarding the security of national aviation energy supply, promote the green and low-carbon transformation of aviation energy supply, and better meet people's needs for better travel experiences. (CCTV News)
Juli Sling Fined 4.5 Million Yuan for Misleading Statements
36Kr learned that Juli Sling announced in a public notice that the company has received the
SK Hynix Mulls 'Memory as a Service' Model, Which Could Let Customers Lease Rather Than Buy Chips
SK Hynix is exploring new ways to sell access to its memory chips, including a so-called "memory as a service" model that would allow customers to rent storage resources from the South Korean firm instead of purchasing the hardware outright. "We can actually offer other business models," Chey Tae-won, Chairman of the SK Group, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. "We can become a storage service provider, offering 'Memory as a Service'. That's actually another area we can focus on in the future." (The Paper)
Head of OpenAI's Safety System Reportedly to Depart
According to reports, amid OpenAI's ongoing restructuring, Johannes Heidecke, the company's head of safety systems, informed employees this week that he will be leaving his position. This restructuring is designed to integrate OpenAI's safety team and research team. An internal memo shows that Mark Chen, OpenAI's Chief Research Officer, stated that the safety team will now report to Mia Glaese, the company's Vice President of Research and Integration Lead, who will also serve concurrently as Vice President of Research and Safety. Saachi Jain, who previously led OpenAI's safety team, will take on the role of interim Head of Safety Systems and report directly to Glaese. (JIEMIAN News)
Mitsubishi Motors to Mass-Produce Humanoid Robots, May Consider External Sales in the Future
Mitsubishi Motors announced on July 9 that it will launch mass production of humanoid robots at its factories in Japan. The humanoid robot, co-developed by Mitsubishi Motors and Highlanders, a startup in which Mitsubishi has invested, is scheduled to enter production around 2027. It will first be deployed in the company's own factories, and the company will also consider selling it to external parties in the future. The company will build new production facilities in the idle space of its Kyoto plant, which manufactures engines, with a planned monthly capacity of 1,000 units. (JIEMIAN NEWS)
Out-licensing Volume of China's Innovative Drugs in H1 Nears Full-Year Figure of Last Year
In the first half of 2026, a total of 38 innovative drugs were approved in China, and all 15 drugs targeting novel targets and mechanisms were domestically developed. Meanwhile, the total transaction value of out-licensing deals for Chinese innovative drugs in the same period approached 110 billion U.S. dollars. At the 12th Changping Life Sciences Forum held in Beijing, a relevant official from the Drug Registration Department of the National Medical Products Administration unveiled the latest "performance report" on the development of China's innovative drugs. According to NMPA statistics, the total transaction value of out-licensing for Chinese innovative drugs reached 135.655 billion U.S. dollars throughout 2025. In other words, the scale of out-licensing for Chinese innovative drugs in the first half of this year has nearly matched the full-year volume of last year. (Yicai)
ECB's Moulin Argues AI Could Exacerbate Inflation Volatility
European Central Bank Governing Council member Emmanuel Moulin stated that the impact of artificial intelligence on inflation is unpredictable and may lead to heightened price volatility. "Since AI acts on variables of both supply and demand simultaneously, its overall effect on inflation is particularly hard to foresee," Moulin noted in a commentary published by Investir. "Furthermore, its influence may manifest not only in inflation levels but also in inflation volatility." The Governor of the Bank of France explained that AI could have inflationary effects in the short term due to increased capital expenditure, but might subsequently curb inflation as productivity improves. (Cls.cn)
IPO in Progress
Yangtze Memory Unveils Its 31-Member IPO "Mentor Team"
The IPO tutoring process for Yangtze Memory has seen its first phase progress update. On July 10, the China Securities Regulatory Commission's official website released its first-phase tutoring work report, where a striking detail stands out — CITIC Securities and CITIC Construction Investment Securities have jointly dispatched a 31-member tutoring team, a scale rarely seen in IPO projects in recent years. (The Paper)
Investment and Financing
"EagleView SmartWings" Completes Tens of Millions Yuan Series A Financing
36Kr learned that EagleView SmartWings, a company specializing in embodied intelligent bionic flapping-wing flying robots, has recently closed its Series A financing valued at tens of millions of yuan. This round marks the third financing completed by the enterprise within three months, led by Yuanhe Puhua, with participation from Futeng Capital and Heavy Snow Capital. The raised funds will be primarily allocated to mass production preparation for its first consumer-grade product, market expansion, team scaling, and R&D of next-generation embodied intelligent flapping-wing robots and fluid simulation engines.
Compiled｜Chi Yu