China’s Internet User Base Reaches 1.125 Billion as FF Unveils New Robotics Innovations

China’s Internet User Base Reaches 1.125 Billion; FF Unveils Embodied Intelligent Robots

On February 6, 2026, significant events unfolded in the tech sector overnight. What new insights did industry leaders share? Here’s a roundup of noteworthy tech news:

China’s Internet User Base Reaches 1.125 Billion
The 57th “Statistical Report on Internet Development in China” was released in Beijing on February 5. The report reveals that by December 2025, China will have an internet user base of 1.125 billion, with an internet penetration rate of 80.1%. The benefits of digital development are reaching a broader audience. The number of users engaging with generative artificial intelligence is projected to reach 602 million, marking a substantial increase of 141.7% compared to the end of 2024. The penetration rate for generative AI users is expected to be 42.8%, a significant rise of 25.2 percentage points year-on-year. These three data points clearly illustrate the new coordinates of China’s internet development, indicating a shift from digital access to deeper digital engagement.

Alphabet CEO: Next-Gen Apple Foundation Model to be Developed with Gemini Technology
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, announced during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call for 2025 that they will collaborate with Apple to become its preferred cloud service provider and jointly develop the next-generation Apple foundation model based on Gemini technology.

OpenAI Hiring Hundreds of “Frontier Deployment Engineers”
According to reports, OpenAI is in the process of hiring hundreds of “frontier deployment engineers” to capture business from large enterprises.

Amazon Plans to Invest $200 Billion in AI This Year, Surpassing Analyst Expectations
Amazon has announced plans to invest $200 billion in data centers, chips, and other equipment for AI this year, a figure that has raised concerns among investors. The substantial investment could pressure the company’s profits before yielding returns. The company also reported an expected expenditure of approximately $130 billion on fixed assets and equipment by 2025, with analysts predicting this year’s spending could reach about $150 billion.

NVIDIA-Backed AI Startup ElevenLabs Secures New Funding Round
The AI startup ElevenLabs has completed a new funding round, raising $500 million and achieving a valuation of $11 billion. This valuation is more than triple what it was during their financing round in January 2025. The funding round was led by Sequoia Capital, with participation from existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and Iconiq Capital, along with new investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Evantic Capital, and Bond.

FF Launches Embodied Intelligent Robots
Faraday Future held the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) event where they unveiled their first batch of embodied intelligent robot products. The Futurist series features full-sized professional humanoid robots; the Master series consists of athletic humanoid robots; and the Aegis series includes specialized quadrupedal robots designed for security and companionship. Faraday Future also introduced the “Trinity” FF EAI Robotics ecosystem strategy, technology, and products.

Meta Tests Standalone Application for Vibes, Aiming to Compete with Sora
Meta has confirmed that it is testing a standalone application for Vibes, a feature originally launched in September of last year that allows users to create and share AI-generated short videos. Users can browse others’ AI-generated videos in a dedicated feed. This product is similar to TikTok or photo-sharing features, but all videos on the platform are AI-generated. Previously, this feed was embedded within the Meta AI application, but now Meta aims to position it as a direct competitor to Sora, OpenAI’s AI-generated video social application that was launched shortly after Vibes.

Jia Yueting Unveils Humanoid Robot
On February 5 at 7:30 AM Beijing time, FF held a product launch event for its first embodied AI robots during the NADA conference in Las Vegas. Following a tumultuous journey from near bankruptcy to revitalization under Jia Yueting, who resumed his role as Co-CEO last April, FF aims to reshape its future. Jia has been in the U.S. since July 2017 and has not returned to China, carrying significant debt.