On April 22, 2026, Alibaba Group officially unveiled “Qwen XiaoJiuWo” (Qwen Assistant Avatar), a new digital persona designed as the unified interface for its Qwen AI ecosystem. The avatar will be integrated into the Qwen app and gradually extended across Alibaba’s major platforms, including Taobao, Fliggy, Amap, and Alipay.

The release focuses on enhancing brand identity and user interaction rather than introducing a new standalone product. Corporate registry data shows that Alibaba (China) Co., Ltd. filed multiple trademark applications for “Qwen XiaoJiuWo” on March 10, 2026, covering areas such as AI-as-a-service (AIaaS), chatbot software, and humanoid robotics. All applications are currently under review.

According to QuestMobile, as of March 2026, the Qwen app reached 166 million monthly active users, ranking second among AI-native apps in China. During the first quarter of 2026, its user base grew by approximately 126 million. However, its average monthly usage frequency stood at 19.8 times per user, lower than some competing products.

Source: All Weather Technology Media

On April 21, 2026, Tencent Cloud announced the overseas beta launch of its AI agent product QClaw, marking its expansion into global markets. Developed by the Tencent PC Manager team and based on the open-source OpenClaw framework, the product follows the domestic release in March 2026.

Tencent stated that the overseas version includes more than 80 feature updates and was developed in approximately five days, with most of the code generated by AI. QClaw is positioned as a consumer-oriented tool that requires no installation or technical setup.

The platform introduces an “Agent Playground” featuring various AI roles, such as fitness coaches and language tutors, and supports integration with major models including GPT and Claude. A built-in security gateway monitors and reviews AI actions to ensure safe execution. QClaw is currently available for testing in markets including the United States, Canada, Singapore, and South Korea, with multilingual support. During the beta phase, users receive daily token allowances and limited early-access slots.

Source: iheima

Chinese AI chip startup Yixing Intelligence announced the completion of a RMB 1.5 billion (approximately USD 210 million) Series B funding round on April 22, 2026, according to Aichip. The round was jointly led by several Beijing-based industrial investment funds, with participation from multiple institutional investors.

Founded in 2022, the company focuses on RISC-V-based AI chips and computing platforms. Its flagship Epoch series is designed for large language models and deep learning workloads, supporting FP8 precision while remaining compatible with lower-precision formats to improve efficiency and deployment flexibility.

Yixing Intelligence offers a full-stack solution covering chips, PCIe accelerator cards, and server clusters, along with a software ecosystem that includes compilers and runtime systems. Its proprietary high-speed interconnect technology enables scalable multi-node deployments for large-scale AI computing scenarios. The company plans to use the new funding to accelerate mass production, develop next-generation products, and expand its ecosystem.

Source: Aichip

Chinese startup Beijing Lingji Tianci Technology Co., Ltd. (Lingji Tianci Technology) has completed two funding rounds totaling tens of millions of yuan over the past year, according to 36Kr. The angel round was led by Delian Capital, with participation from Xiaokonglong Fund and Ruisheng Fund, while the Pre-A round was led by Implic Capital.

The company has launched its AI toy brand “Jollybubu,” featuring a “plush toy + hub” system. Each toy corresponds to an independent AI agent with its own knowledge base and personality. When placed on the hub, the toy enables interactive voice conversations and multi-character responses. The system integrates automatic speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), and large language model capabilities to support coordinated multi-agent interactions.

A companion mini-program tracks user interaction data and visualizes children’s interests and engagement patterns. The company stated that its primary revenue model is hardware sales rather than subscription services. Jollybubu is scheduled for official release in late May 2026.

Source: 36Kr

April 21, 2026 – OnePlus teases the Ace 6 Ultra, its new handset set for April 28 launch, unveiling the new "Metal Storm" colorway and a slew of gaming performance upgrades.

Powered by MediaTek Dimensity 9500, the device achieves the first unlimited 165fps gaming frame rate on a Dimensity platform, thanks to the co-developed "Smooth Frame Gaming Project" with MediaTek. It integrates WindRush Gaming Kernel and exclusive native GPU rendering, paired with the flagship Glacier Cooling System – a 6K large-area Glacier VC and graphite setup that doubles heat dissipation. A Multi-Finger Gaming Grip Profile, optimized for FPS pro gamers, enables targeted thermal conduction in high-frequency touch areas.

For design, the Ace 6 Ultra has the new "Metal Storm" colorway joining the previously announced "Ace Awakening". The former features an exclusive fingerprint-resistant Silk Glass finish with metallic luster; the latter adopts 3D Stereoscopic Laser Engraving for dynamic light effects.

OnePlus will release a matching gaming controller, forming the "Gaming Handheld Combo" with the phone. The controller boasts an ergonomic grip, four physical buttons, 1000Hz polling rate, 1.8ms response and custom key mapping.

Unverified leaks note the device will have a 6.78-inch 1.5K 165Hz flat display, a 50MP main rear camera, and storage variants from 12GB+256GB to 16GB+1TB.

Source: TechAesthetics

On April 21, Zibian Robotics unveiled its next-generation “robots for home” initiative, alongside the release of WALL-B, the world’s first embodied AI foundation model based on a World Unified Model (WUM) architecture.

WALL-B represents a major shift from traditional Vision-Language-Action (VLA) architectures to a natively multimodal fusion approach. By jointly training vision, language, motion, and physical prediction capabilities, the model achieves three core features: native multimodality, understanding of physical world dynamics, and self-evolution after failure.

This approach addresses key limitations of VLA systems, such as information loss between modules and the inability to model real-world physics.

For training, the model adopts a strategy combining experimental data with real-world scenarios, incorporating data from hundreds of actual households to improve performance.

The company announced that within 35 days, a new generation of robots equipped with WALL-B and upgraded hardware will be deployed in real homes, with user recruitment already underway.

To address privacy concerns, the system includes on-device visual anonymization, transparent user authorization, and strict usage limitations. Further technical details and ecosystem plans for WALL-B will be revealed on April 27 at the inaugural Guangdong AI Application Conference.

Source: NetEase Smart

On April 21, Ant Digital Technologies introduced an AI-powered payment function on its DTClaw platform.

After enabling the feature and completing authorization, users can directly invoke Alipay for transactions such as subscription purchases. For example, renewing a membership requires just three steps: state the request, confirm the order, and approve payment.

The feature is built on Alipay’s AI payment capabilities and designed for AI agents within the OpenClaw ecosystem, filling a gap in payment infrastructure and enabling agents to independently complete transactions and close the value loop.

To ensure security, DTClaw requires manual activation and identity verification, with each transaction needing user confirmation. It also introduces the proprietary CARLI security model, equipping AI agents with “braking” and “black box” mechanisms to ensure operations are controllable, auditable, and traceable.

DTClaw has passed all six major security evaluations conducted by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), becoming one of the first compliant platforms in China. The service is currently in public beta, with registration available via the company’s official website.

Source: MyDrivers

Chinese battery giant CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited) unveiled its third-generation Qilin battery during its “Super Tech Day” event on April 21, presented by CTO Gao Huan.

The new battery supports an equivalent 10C standard charging rate, with peak performance reaching 15C ultra-fast charging. Its ternary lithium cells achieve a gravimetric energy density of 280 Wh/kg and volumetric density of 600 Wh/L. A 625 kg battery pack can deliver a driving range exceeding 1,000 km.

Compared with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries offering similar range, the Qilin battery reduces weight by 255 kg, resulting in notable performance gains. For example, in a 2.6-ton mid-to-large sedan, 0–100 km/h acceleration improves by at least 0.6 seconds, moose test speed increases by 8%, and braking distance from 100 km/h is reduced by 1.44 meters.

Additional benefits include a 40% increase in the lifespan of key chassis components, over 30% longer tire life, and at least a 6% reduction in energy consumption per 100 km.

On safety, the battery builds on CATL’s NP (No Propagation) technology by introducing thermal-electric separation. High-voltage components are physically isolated from explosion-proof valves, with independent exhaust channels designed to prevent thermal runaway from escalating into electrical failure.

Source: MyDrivers

On April 21, Chinese robotics joint developer Quanzhibo announced it has secured several hundred million RMB in a Series A++ funding round. Investors include Shenzhen Investment Holdings, Photosynthesis Ventures, Orient Jiafu, Junshan Capital, Liangjiang Capital, and Junxi Capital.

Founded in 2020 in Wuxi, China, the company focuses on integrated robotic joint platforms. Its product lineup includes the PA series planetary servo joints, HA series harmonic servo joints, and CA series cycloidal servo joints, covering torque ranges from 2Nm to 400Nm. These solutions are designed for applications such as humanoid and quadruped robots.

To date, Quanzhibo has completed eight funding rounds, with total financing exceeding RMB 600 million. After a seed round in 2023 and an A1 round in 2024, the company completed five consecutive rounds from A2 to A6 in 2025.

In 2025, its annual shipment of joint modules surpassed 100,000 units, serving clients including Songyan Power and Leju Robotics. In April 2026, the company’s precision joint manufacturing base in Wuxi began operations, featuring a production cycle of 90 seconds per unit, 85% automation, a first-pass yield rate of 96%, and overall yield above 98%, with annual capacity reaching the million-unit level.

Source: Robot Pro

Moonshot AI has officially released and open-sourced its flagship Kimi K2.6 model, less than three months after launching K2.5. The announcement has already drawn over 4 million views on its official social channels.

Kimi K2.6 focuses on overcoming limitations in multi-agent collaboration. Building on K2.5’s Agent Swarm capability, the new version introduces enhanced support for the OpenClaw framework and a new Claw Group system, enabling more structured, human-like team coordination among AI agents.

The model delivers improvements across key capabilities, including general agent performance, coding, and visual understanding. Benchmark results show K2.6 leading in tests such as Humanity’s Last Exam, SWE-Bench Pro, and DeepSearchQA. It performs on par with—or in some cases surpasses—closed-source models like GPT-5.4 and Claude Opus 4.6.

Evaluation platform Artificial Analysis described K2.6 as “a new leader among open-source models,” while OpenRouter highlighted its strength in long-horizon programming tasks suited for persistent agent workflows.

Kimi K2.6 is now the default model across Kimi’s web platform, mobile app, and Kimi Code programming assistant.

Source: Synced

XPENG has opened pre-orders for its new mid-to-large SUV GX, with a starting price of RMB 399,800 (USD 56,000).

Developed in collaboration with Midea, the vehicle features an in-car refrigerator and a central air conditioning system. The 12.5L fridge supports dual temperature zones ranging from -6°C to 50°C and can store up to 32 standard 330ml cans. It integrates sterilization technology with a 99.99% sterilization rate and improved cooling efficiency.

The cabin is equipped with a central air system featuring a “forest airflow” design for the front seats and a ceiling-based airflow system for the rear. Under extreme conditions, the system can raise cabin temperature by 40°C within 10 minutes at -20°C, or reduce it by 34.6°C within 10 minutes at 60°C.

CEO He Xiaopeng said cross-industry collaboration between automotive and home appliance sectors is expected to enhance product capabilities and user experience.

Source：XPENG

AGILINK has launched three new products under its OmniHand 3 series: OmniHand 3 Ultra-T, OmniHand 3 Lite, and OmniPicker 3.

Founded in January 2026 as a spin-off from AGIBOT’s dexterous hand business, the company completed three funding rounds within its first month, raising several hundred million RMB.

The flagship OmniHand 3 Ultra-T weighs under 500 grams, supports a payload of 5 kg, and features over 25 degrees of freedom, with full-hand tactile sensing and an integrated palm camera. A quick-release tendon system enables component replacement within 10 minutes.

OmniHand 3 Lite is positioned as a compact, mass-produced dexterous hand, while OmniPicker 3 targets industrial gripping with a lifespan of 1 million cycles and gripping force of 140N.

As of launch, AGILINK has delivered over 8,000 dexterous hands and more than 10,000 grippers. Nearly 1,000 units are already deployed in retail warehouses, pharmacies, and factories, operating continuously for 8-hour shifts.

Source：Robotic Frontier

Dreame has sustained an average annual revenue growth rate of 100% since its founding in 2017, according to founder Yu Hao.

The company operates in over 120 countries and regions, ranking first by market share in more than 30 markets. Its product portfolio includes robotic vacuum cleaners, cordless vacuum cleaners, floor washers, and high-speed hair dryers.

According to IDC, Dreame led the global cleaning robot market in 2025 with 101.9% shipment growth, ranking first in 30 markets, including 18 with over 40% market share. The company has maintained a compound annual growth rate above 100% in robotic vacuums for six consecutive years and was recognized in March 2026 as the global leader in high-end robotic vacuum sales.

In the first quarter of 2026, Dreame’s global robotic vacuum revenue doubled year-on-year.

Source：IPOzaozhidao

WeiMai has submitted an updated prospectus for a Hong Kong main board listing, with China Merchants Securities International acting as sole sponsor.

Founded in 2013, the company provides AI-powered full-cycle disease management services. According to Frost & Sullivan, it ranks among the top three providers in China by 2024 revenue and is the largest AI-driven player by patient coverage.

Revenue grew from RMB 628 million (USD 88 million) in 2023 to RMB 653 million (USD 91 million) in 2024 and RMB 863 million (USD 121 million) in 2025, representing 32.16% year-on-year growth. Adjusted net loss narrowed from RMB 99 million (USD 14 million) to RMB 24 million (USD 3 million), while adjusted EBITDA turned positive in 2025. Gross margin improved from 18.9% to 21.7%.

WeiMai has developed its proprietary CareAI platform, built on multi-agent systems and mixture-of-models architecture. As of April 2026, the company has partnered with 188 hospitals, accumulated over 2.01 billion tokens of medical data, and served more than 540,000 patients.

Source：IPOzaozhidao

Motorevo has completed an A++ round worth several hundred million RMB (USD tens of millions), led by Shenzhen Investment Holdings with participation from Genesis Capital and other investors.

The round follows five consecutive financings from A2 to A6 in 2025. Founder and CEO Chen Wankai said proceeds will be used for advanced technology development, product expansion, and manufacturing and delivery upgrades.

Founded in 2023, the company focuses on integrated robotic joint modules, covering planetary, harmonic, and cycloidal series with torque ranges from 2Nm to 400Nm. Its products are used in humanoid robots, quadrupeds, exoskeletons, and collaborative robots.

Motorevo counts Leju Robotics and other robotics firms among its clients. In 2025, annual shipments exceeded 100,000 units, with orders surpassing RMB 150 million (USD 21 million), and the company has achieved profitability. Its Wuxi production base began operations in April with over 85% automation, reducing production time per module to around 90 seconds. Total capacity is expected to reach 300,000 to 500,000 units by 2026.

Source：China Venture

ELEGOO has completed a B+ round worth several hundred million RMB (USD tens of millions), with participation from Meituan, Shenzhen Capital Group, Hillhouse, and Yintai, among others.

The round follows a strategic investment from DJI less than six months earlier. Proceeds will be used for talent acquisition, core technology development, global market expansion, and brand building.

Founded in 2015, ELEGOO focuses on consumer-grade 3D printing. Its products have sold over 2 million units globally, with more than 90% of revenue coming from overseas markets. The ELEGOO brand leads the global consumer resin 3D printing segment.

The company reported revenue exceeding RMB 2.3 billion (USD 320 million) in 2025.

Source: 36Kr

NASN Automotive Electronics has received regulatory clearance from the China Securities Regulatory Commission for its planned Hong Kong listing.

The company plans to issue up to 109 million shares and proceed with an IPO on the Hong Kong Exchange, meeting a key pre-listing requirement.

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Hangzhou, NASN focuses on by-wire chassis systems. Its product portfolio includes NBS, ESC, NBC, RBC, and EMB braking solutions.

The company was the first in China to supply proprietary electronic braking systems to leading EV OEMs and to deploy such systems in commercial L4 autonomous driving operations. Investors include Qiming Venture Partners, Matrix Partners China, Hillhouse, and CATL.

Source:IPOzaozhidao

ShadowAI has completed angel, angel+, and Pre-A rounds totaling nearly RMB 100 million (USD 14 million).

Founded in Hangzhou in June 2024, the company focuses on native 3D dynamic world models for embodied AI. Its product lineup includes the YingShen 360 real-time 3D data capture system, the S1 dynamic world model, and flexible manufacturing robots.

YingShen 360 can capture real-time 3D data using four to five low-cost RGB cameras. Founder and CEO Min Wei holds a PhD from Tsinghua University and previously led robotics teams at Alibaba’s local services unit.

The company has entered flexible manufacturing scenarios such as footwear production, where its robots can produce 3,000 pairs of shoes in an 8-hour shift.

Source: Robotics Frontier

FAIRLAND Corporation Limited has filed for a Hong Kong IPO.

By 2024 revenue, the company is the largest smart pool equipment supplier in China, with a global market share of 3.4%. Its 2025 revenue reached RMB 1.017 billion (USD 140 million), up 33.1% year-on-year, with smart pool energy management products contributing RMB 823 million (USD 114 million), or 80.9% of total revenue.

The company swung to a net loss of RMB 120 million (USD 17 million) during the same period, primarily due to rising sales expenses tied to direct-to-consumer channel expansion for its robotic product lines.

Approximately 99% of revenue comes from overseas markets, with Europe accounting for 51.8%. Its brands include iGarden and FAIRLAND.

Source: Robotics Frontier

Alibaba has released Qwen3.6-Max-Preview, the latest and most advanced model in its Qwen series.

Compared with the recently launched Qwen3.6-Plus, the preview version shows improvements in agent-based coding, world knowledge, and instruction following. The Qwen3.6 lineup now includes three closed-source models—Qwen3.6-Max-Preview, Qwen3.6-Plus, and Qwen3.6-Flash—alongside the open-source Qwen3.6-35B-A3B.

Alibaba unified its AI branding under “Qwen” in March 2026, discontinuing the previous Tongyi Qwen name.

Source：CLS AIDaily