US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China escalate global trade tensions, potentially extending to the EU. India, not yet targeted, stands to benefit as it attracts companies diversifying from US-China trade uncertainties.
Samsung Electronics Chairperson Jae-Yong Lee, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and SoftBank Group Chairperson Masayoshi Son met to discuss the Stargate Project, AI collaborations, and mobile technology strategies.
The merger negotiations between Honda and Nissan are facing a potential breakdown. According to Japanese news outlets, Honda proposed making Nissan a subsidiary before February 1, 2025, but Nissan strongly opposed this move as it would result in a loss of operational control, raising concerns that the merger talks could ultimately fail.
Apple’s grand vision for CarPlay 2.0, unveiled at WWDC 2022, aimed to dominate vehicle interfaces by integrating across multiple screens and controlling key functions—potentially sidelining traditional dashboards. The announcement rattled the auto industry, sparking fears that CarPlay could become a Trojan horse, encroaching on automakers’ turf. At the time, 98% of new US vehicles supported CarPlay, and nearly 80% of buyers preferred it.
On February 3, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joined SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son at a major AI briefing in Japan, attended by executives from 500 top companies. During the event, they announced the launch of their joint venture, “SB OpenAI Japan,” and introduced “Cristal Intelligence,” an AI tool tailored for enterprise use.
At the “Hotai Motor and Kuozui Motors 2025 Lunar New Year Press Conference” on February 4, 2025, General Manager Chwen-Shing Su expressed optimism for Taiwan’s auto market. With the recovery in the local car market, total vehicle sales reached 458,000 units in 2024, as most 2023 order cancellations were resolved. The three brands under Hotai Motor’s dealership – Toyota, Lexus, and Hino – registered over 159,000 vehicles in total, marking their second-highest sales record with a market share of 34.9%. The company maintained its position as Taiwan’s top car seller for the 23rd consecutive year, with revenues surpassing NT$270 billion (US$8.2 billion), setting a new record.
Former Microsoft Windows Division president Steven Sinofsky, who played a crucial role in developing Windows 7 and Windows 8, has shared his analysis of the AI industry’s current state and DeepSeek’s emergence in a detailed post on X.