For over 15 years, iQIYI has operated as a premier television and movie studio plus a streaming service known for its high-quality, long-form content. In …Read More »

JD’s Bet Is a “JoyAI Brain” with a “JoyAgent Team” (3 of 3) (Tech Strategy). JoyAI-LLM Flash is the True “Brain” and JoyAgent is the …Read More »

In this analysis of JD’s JoyAI, digital AI strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson details the eight specialized models—spanning voice interaction (JoyAI-Voice and JoyAI-Talker), multimodal interaction (JoyAI-Echo, …Read More »

JD’s JoyAI is the foundational “cloud brain” of models for language, vision, spatial reasoning and real-time voice, while JoyInside is the deployment framework that embeds …Read More »

JD has launched 101HOME in Shanghai, presenting a clever upgrade to experiential retail in furniture through a curated selection of international brands and immersive, designed …Read More »

Furniture stores traditionally struggle with customer frequency, as buyers may visit for five or six weeks during a project and then disappear for years. To …Read More »

On September 23, 2026, JD.com announced the opening of its first 101HOME store in Shanghai’s Jing An District. The 12,000-square-meter destination marks a shift from …Read More »

This week’s podcast is about the recent Alibaba Ecommerce Training Program – and our trip to Alibaba HQ in Hangzhou, where digital AI strategy consultant …Read More »

We just finished up Phase 2 of our Alibaba Ecommerce Training Program, where digital AI strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson covers tools like Accio and QwenWork …Read More »

On Day 3 of the Alibaba Ecommerce Training Program, the group visited mytwins.ai and saw that digital livestreamers have arrived as viable replacements for humans …Read More »

Phase 2 of the Alibaba Ecommerce Training Program included classes at Alibaba headquarters in Hangzhou and visits to the frontlines of livestreaming at RunXing Group, …Read More »

The Huawei Connect conference featured the Atlas 960E SuperPoD as the centerpiece of Huawei’s new Peerium Computing Architecture, completely rebuilding AI infrastructure for massive scale …Read More »

We just finished up Phase 2 of our Alibaba Ecommerce Training Program in partnership with Alibaba, including a visit to DEEP Robotics after Geely / …Read More »

We just finished up Phase 2 of our Alibaba Ecommerce Training Program in partnership with Alibaba, including visits to local companies like Geely / Zeekr …Read More »

From his recent tour of Alibaba headquarters in Hangzhou, digital AI strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson outlines how digital avatars are rapidly ending human livestreamers as …Read More »

Tencent is a world leader in both AI and in getting user attention, making it a go-to company for the intersection of AI and advertising …Read More »

WorkBuddy, Tencent’s flagship Agent product, is currently going international and will likely be followed by Tencent’s other “buddy” products including CodeBuddy, Toast, Marvis, Ardot, Miora, …Read More »

Why is scaling enterprise agents so hard? This article offers an introduction to Tencent’s Agent Development Platform ADP 4.0 as the fourth part of the …Read More »

I’ve covered Tencent’s WorkBuddy, CodeBuddy and QClaw (with updates). But this is just a subset of tools and agents Tencent is launching, framed as Finding …Read More »

HY4 Preview is Tencent’s next-generation flagship AI model designed specifically for real-world productivity tasks and is the natural fit for WorkBuddy. WorkBuddy is now the …Read More »

This week’s podcast is about the robot-native network Huawei and China Unicom built for the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, a key element of …Read More »

Tencent wants to be for robots what Android is for smartphones by providing the full software stack for embodied intelligence rather than making robots themselves, …Read More »

Unitree has frontier-level expertise in robot bodies and agility, but they were late to embodied AI capabilities. The hands don’t appear advanced, and operationally, they …Read More »

Linkerbot's hands are designed to be mounted onto existing robotic arms. That means factories can upgrade the current capabilities of their robotic lines to more …Read More »

My opinion here is much more on the competitive side. Look, I think they have a lot of serious competitors. I think life is going …Read More »

This is my series on rising China robot companies I am following, focusing on Booster Robotics’ educational humanoids as research tools and education services for …Read More »

This week’s podcast covers rising robotics companies that possess clear, scalable use cases and early indications of competitive advantages. While much of the robotics sector …Read More »

Galbot was founded in May 2023 by Dr. Wang He, another China professor turned entrepreneur. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson explores how robot retail solutions …Read More »

I’ve been digging into lots of China-based robot companies. There are a ton of them. Most are small start-ups focused on getting the products to …Read More »

AgiBot’s robot intelligence depends on Genie Operator (GO), its Vision-Language-Latent-Action model that translates vision and language into physical actions through chain-of-thought processes, and Genie Envisioner …Read More »

According to Jensen Huang, physical AI and embodied intelligence are the next big wave. And this means a completely different GenAI and the AI tech …Read More »

AgiBot was established in February 2023 in Shanghai by cofounders Peng Zhihui and Deng Taihua. The company rapidly expanded from a single prototype to a …Read More »

This week’s podcast covers Agibot, a fast rising full stack robot business located in Shanghai. Digital AI strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson examines how the business …Read More »

Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson shares his experience at the vibrant World AI Conference 2026 in Shanghai, highlighting the spectacular energy at the epicenter of …Read More »

This week’s podcast is about the development and launch of Meituan’s LongCat 2.0 LLM. This 1.6T parameter, frontier model was trained entirely on domestic hardware. …Read More »

In 2026, CATL is the global leader of the EV battery business and has been for 9 years, holding 44% of all EVs in China …Read More »

This week’s podcast is about the emergence of agentic commerce. This is a big change to traditional omnichannel. The 5 steps to get into agentic …Read More »

This week’s podcast is about my recent visit to the CATL headquarters in Ningde, Fujian. Plus, there is a bit of a rant about the …Read More »

I was recently at the opening of CATL’s new ESVL testing center in Xiamen and took a fun tour of the facility, which was super …Read More »

This positions energy storage as the critical next phase following dominance in electric vehicles. Leaders can leverage this understanding within their digital transformation strategy. Insights …Read More »

In this second part of the series, digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson continues his deep dive into CATL’s advancements following his headquarters visit. Key highlights …Read More »

I recently visited the CATL headquarters in Ningde, China. CATL is the world’s largest rechargeable battery-maker by a big margin. As digital strategy consultant Jeffrey …Read More »

This week’s podcast is about the recent S-1 IPO filing of SpaceX. It has some pretty good lessons in both AI and tech strategy. You …Read More »

Tencent has unveiled an accelerated generative AI and agent strategy with the launch of its Hunyuan Hy3 model architecture. This new phase reflects a strategic …Read More »

Huawei’s biggest strength is the system they have developed for the creation, assessment and distribution of value by +200,000 people. It’s ultimately about HR strategy. …Read More »

Huawei is designing quasi-3D circuits. Instead of flat chips, think of quasi-3D chips with more vertical layers and connectivity. That decrease in wire length means …Read More »

Within this, Tencent’s big push right now (like everyone else’s) is agents. Agents are the breakout use case after AI chatbots. At Tencent, agents (i.e., …Read More »

Unlike traditional software, you can’t just build a GenAI service and then let everyone use it for free. The compute and other costs required for …Read More »

Tencent Unveils Accelerated GenAI and Agent Strategy with the launch of Hunyuan Hy3, reflecting a shift toward high cost-effectiveness and practicality in foundation models. Hy3 …Read More »

This week’s podcast is about consumer electronics and lessons learned from Huawei’s recent product event. Jeffrey Towson discusses frameworks for success in this space, including …Read More »

The final part of this series on Huawei's latest consumer products. With a deep dive in its R&D advancements. Huawei is increasingly pairing technological advancements …Read More »

The MatePad Pro Max is a technical demonstration of what Huawei's R&D can achieve, squeezing a 10,400 mAh battery into an ultra-thin 4.7mm chassis. By …Read More »

Huawei is moving into high-fashion markets by introducing premium wearables featuring diamonds designed by luxury jewelry experts. This strategic integration of emotional resonance alongside traditional …Read More »

The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro represents a shift toward a dual-pillar strategy that balances world-class R&D with a deep emotional appeal to specific consumer …Read More »

In this episode of the Tech Strategy Podcast, digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson identifies the most significant shifts currently occurring within the China tech ecosystem. …Read More »

The transition from simple automation to autonomous agents creates significant complexity for most organizations. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson identifies two primary bottlenecks that prevent …Read More »

Building a sustainable competitive advantage in the digital age requires moving beyond simple product features to structural moats. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson explains that …Read More »

I recently did a podcast about MEDVi, the telehealth platform that made headlines for being the first $1B revenue firm with no employees. It uses …Read More »

The emergence of MEDVi as a $1 billion revenue firm with only one employee highlights a massive sea change in how GenAI and agents are …Read More »

While building a structural moat is your top priority as a CEO, your ultimate goal is simply to win. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson distills …Read More »

This week’s podcast is a summary of Chapter 1 (Introduction) of my updated Moats and Marathons books, which is a seven-book series I spent eight …Read More »

Growth mechanisms like virality and digital word-of-mouth are often mixed together, but they function as distinct components of a successful digital transformation strategy. Virality occurs …Read More »

There are lots of analogies floats around for how to think about competitive strengths. And I’ve been using a common one, which is calling it …Read More »

The article highlights five distinct scenarios where autonomous AI agents are being deployed to solve complex operational challenges in real-time. These examples demonstrate how a …Read More »

Huawei Cloud has launched a new AI data platform specifically designed to handle the shift as inference begins to overtake training in the industry. This …Read More »

The 2026 Mobile World Congress served as a pivotal moment for identifying the next wave of infrastructure and consumer tech trends. In this episode, digital …Read More »

The transition to Agent-Native Networks marks a significant evolution where AI agents become the primary occupants and operators of digital infrastructure. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey …Read More »

The second takeaway from MWC 2026 highlights that high-performance processors are only one half of the equation for Huawei’s growing influence. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey …Read More »

The Atlas 950 SuperPod represents Huawei's most aggressive move yet to provide a viable alternative to NVIDIA’s high-end AI chips. This development is a critical …Read More »

Huawei is aggressively expanding its product ecosystem to include unique hardware like tablets with a specialized paper-like display and advanced sonar technology for underwater use. …Read More »

The article examines how Huawei is leveraging its massive R&D scale to challenge Garmin’s long-standing dominance in the high-end running market. By integrating advanced sensors …Read More »

The GT Runner 2 succeeds by blending high-performance hardware with features designed to create emotional resonance with serious athletes. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson explains …Read More »

The launch of the Huawei GT Runner 2 in Madrid provides a clear case study on how specialized wearables are evolving within a broader digital …Read More »

Pinduoduo disrupted the Chinese ecommerce landscape by riding three major waves: mobile payment adoption in lower-income populations, supply chain compression through C2M models, and the …Read More »

The traditional entertainment hierarchy is being inverted as viewers gain sovereignty over "content factories" through the rise of AI-driven generation. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson …Read More »

The emergence of Seedance marks a fundamental shift from labor-intensive video production to automated AI generation, which digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson argues will make …Read More »

The article outlines two specific digital operating basics: DOB1, which focuses on scalable low-cost growth, and DOB2, which centers on never-ending customer improvements. Digital strategy …Read More »

The emergence of Seedance represents a pivotal shift in how video content is created, moving from labor-intensive studio productions to AI-driven generation. Digital strategy consultant …Read More »

Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent are currently engaged in a massive build-out of AI infrastructure to support the next generation of digital services. While Alibaba focuses …Read More »

In this episode of Tech Strategy Podcast 275, digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson breaks down Alibaba’s aggressive push into AI, spotlighting eight standout apps that …Read More »

Alibaba is pivoting its core platforms, such as DingTalk and Amap, into AI-native interfaces that utilize the proprietary Qwen large language models. Digital strategy consultant …Read More »

Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson emphasizes that while being a first or early mover allows a company to capture demand before rivals arrive, these tactics …Read More »

Jeffrey Towson defines a competitive fortress as a situation where a single company maintains 50-70% of a circumscribed market, rendering current rivals and new entrants …Read More »

Building a sustainable competitive advantage in the digital age requires moving beyond simple product features to structural moats. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson explains that …Read More »

During my recent visit to Alibaba, I identified several critical shifts in their operational approach and ecosystem development. Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson breaks down …Read More »

During my recent visit to Alibaba, I gained firsthand insights into how the company is evolving its massive ecosystem through a sophisticated digital transformation strategy. …Read More »

In this podcast, digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson outlines a comprehensive 4-step framework designed to integrate generative AI into a long-term digital transformation strategy. The …Read More »

During a recent visit to the headquarters in Beijing, digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson observed how the company has successfully pivoted from a search-centric business …Read More »

Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson provides a forward-looking analysis of the primary technological shifts expected to reshape the business environment by 2026. The discussion focuses …Read More »

The GenAI Playbook outlines a strategic shift from simple product experimentation to building long-term "intelligence flywheels" within daily operations. According to digital strategy consultant Jeffrey …Read More »

GenAI is rapidly evolving from a simple feature into a foundational element for the next generation of digital platforms and ecosystems. This transition requires a …Read More »

Generative AI is often more of a productivity tool than a sustainable barrier to entry because most of its capabilities are available to everyone simultaneously. …Read More »

Move over Temu—Joybuy is emerging as a serious contender in the European market by prioritizing trust, quality, and localized customer experience. This shift reflects a …Read More »

The Leion AR glasses represent a significant attempt to move augmented reality from a niche enterprise tool into a more consumer-friendly form factor. According to …Read More »

Xiaomi has officially transitioned from a "Smartphone x AIoT" focus to a comprehensive "Human x Car x Home" digital transformation strategy. This shift is powered …Read More »

Digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson examines how agentic e-commerce can finally address the lack of personalization that has historically plagued the tourism industry and online …Read More »

The article outlines Insta360’s strategy as three linked activities: Solve Users’ Unmet Need, Get Product-Market-Fit, and Rapidly and Continuously Innovate on the Frontier of Technology. …Read More »

Insta360’s headquarters is in the Qianhai part of Shenzhen. Tencent and competitor DJI are also pretty close by. We visited on a Friday afternoon with …Read More »

Maeve Zhang, Head of PR and Marketing at WeRide, recently gave a great presentation that details the current status of their autonomous vehicle business and …Read More »

The article examines if smart glasses are the next central hub for our digital lives or just another connected device. It explores this question through …Read More »