Kimi by Moonshot AI: Computing Power Crunch Forces Pause on New User Subscriptions Starting Today
On July 19th, Kimi by Moonshot AI issued a statement explaining the computing power shortage and the decision to pause new sign-ups: The Kimi team has decided to immediately halt new user subscriptions for the consumer-facing side. They’re reallocating all available computing resources to serve existing subscribers, ensuring their full benefits remain untouched. Meanwhile, they’re working around the clock to scale up capacity. As new computing power comes online, they’ll gradually reopen subscription slots until everything’s back to normal. For future new subscribers, Kimi will split its main perks (covering Kimi Web, Kimi App, and Kimi Work) from Kimi Code perks, aiming to better match computing resources and keep the user experience smooth.
AI Software Development Platform Emergent Hits $1.5 Billion Valuation After Series C Round
On July 20th, AI software development platform Emergent announced a $130 million Series C funding round. The round was led by Creaegis, with co-leads from MNI Ventures – Claypond Capital and Sentinel Global, and participation from Khosla Ventures, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Lightspeed, and Y Combinator. Following this latest round, Emergent’s valuation has hit $1.5 billion, propelling it into the unicorn club just one year after its public launch.
Alibaba Cloud Launches “Smart Agent-Dedicated Instance” for Lightweight Application Servers
On July 20th, Alibaba Cloud rolled out a smart agent-dedicated instance for its lightweight application servers. This bundles vCPU, memory, cloud storage, 200Mbps peak bandwidth (with no traffic fees), and large model tokens (ranging from 100 million to 3.2 billion) into a prepaid package, offering users a one-stop AI Agent runtime environment. It’s now live in 12 regions including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, with plans to expand to more domestic and overseas locations down the road.
TSMC Boosts US Investment Commitment to $265 Billion, Cites AI Demand and Competitive Pressure Driving Expansion
Recently, TSMC’s Chief Financial Officer, Wendell Huang, shared that the company plans to add $100 billion in US investment, bringing its total commitment to $265 billion. This move is largely fueled by strong demand from US clients and pressure from competitors like Intel and Elon Musk’s Terafab. Huang noted that the AI wave will keep driving chip demand for years to come, and the company is still grappling with capacity shortages that prevent it from fulfilling all customer orders—so they’re aggressively ramping up output. He added that the extra investment is also a signal to the market that TSMC won’t let AI chip demand opportunities slip to rivals. Reports suggest this new injection could support building around four more wafer fabs in Arizona, potentially expanding the site to up to 10 wafer fabs and two advanced packaging facilities. TSMC already runs one wafer fab in Arizona, with two more slated to begin production by the end of this decade.
Hon Hai Secures First-Ever SpaceX AI Server Manufacturing Order
On July 20th, reports surfaced that Hon Hai Precision has landed its first order to manufacture AI servers for SpaceX, with the next step being a collaboration on space-based AI data centers.
Zhongjian Tech Unveils Concept Humanoid Robot ZERO at WAIC; Quadruped Robot Dog Handles Over 100 kg Loads
On July 20th, during the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), Zhongjian Tech showcased its concept humanoid robot, ZERO, alongside a quadruped robot called “Lingrui P1” and key core component technologies. The quadruped robot dog “Lingrui P1” can hit speeds over 6 m/s and handle maximum loads exceeding 100 kg. It’s already in use for tasks like power grid inspections and park patrols, honing core capabilities in quadruped chassis and flexible joints.
Blackstone Group Agrees to Invest in Korean Robotics Supplier Futronic
On July 20th, Blackstone Group announced that its affiliated private equity fund will make a “significant investment” in Futronic, a Korean supplier of high-precision actuators used in industrial robots and the automotive industry. According to the statement, Futronic founder Jin-ho Ko will continue as Chairman and CEO, collaborating with Blackstone to accelerate the company’s global growth.
