Technology (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AsiaNew Zealand Supports Southland Hydrogen and Minerals FacilityThe New Zealand Government will provide NZ$15 million (approximately US$8.9 million) through the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to support a commercial-scale facility in Southland that aims to produce green hydrogen and recover critical minerals from quarry waste. Announced by Regional Development, Resources and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones, the project forms part of the Government’s […] (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AI·11 August 2026
Technology (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AsiaNew Zealand Sets Regional Fund Package to Support Hydrogen DevelopmentThe New Zealand Government has allocated NZ$30 million (approximately US$17.9 million) from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to support projects aimed at expanding the country’s hydrogen sector. Announced by Regional Development, Resources and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones on 12 August 2026, the initiative is intended to strengthen energy resilience, support industrial decarbonisation and encourage regional […] (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AI·11 August 2026
Technology (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AsiaSingapore Expands Biosurveillance Research to Strengthen Public HealthSingapore is expanding its biosurveillance capabilities through a series of research projects focused on zoonotic diseases and transmission risks across urban ecosystems. The studies, led by researchers from the National Parks Board, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Duke-NUS Medical School, are part of the Biosurveillance Research Programme under Singapore’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise […] (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AI·11 August 2026
Technology (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AsiaChina Sets 2030 Roadmap for Modernised Coal IndustryChina has outlined plans to establish a modern coal industry system by 2030, as policymakers seek to balance energy security with the country’s long-term green transition goals. According to a development plan issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, the country will accelerate upgrades to coal production, improve efficiency […] (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AI·11 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostAlibaba tests paid AI appetite with US$30 annual office-assistant subscriptionAlibaba Group Holding is asking app users to open their wallets for its artificial intelligence office assistant, as the Chinese technology giant tests whether businesses and consumers are ready to pay for its digital assistant. The e-commerce giant’s Qwen app now offers three membership tiers for the assistant, with annual plans ranging from 200 yuan (US$29.60) to 1,499 yuan for its flagship version, according to the listing on Apple’s App Store. Users can also buy extra video generation... (opens original source in a new tab)Minxiao Chang·11 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostAlibaba says modular design delivers AI data centres in 100 days at 10% lower costAs demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure surges, Alibaba Group Holding says it can deliver new data centres in a fraction of the usual time while cutting construction costs by 10 per cent through its proprietary modular architecture. Using CUBE 5.0, Alibaba Cloud had slashed the delivery time for large-scale AI data centres to just 100 days, according to a report by state-backed newspaper China Securities Journal on Tuesday. That compared with standard domestic delivery times of six. (opens original source in a new tab)Ann Cao·11 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)Rest of WorldHow one VC burns through hundreds of millions of tokens a day to find the next unicornThe investor behind a $75-million AI-focused fund explains why reading research papers and testing frontier models has become part of his job. (opens original source in a new tab)Ananya Bhattacharya·11 August 2026
Technology (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AsiaHong Kong Introduces Digital Consent for School Influenza VaccinationsHong Kong’s Department of Health will introduce a new electronic consent system for the 2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Programme, allowing parents to submit vaccination consent forms through the eHealth mobile application from 17 August 2026. According to the announcement by the Centre for Health Protection, the initiative is intended to simplify administrative processes […] (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AI·11 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostMeta to challenge China’s open-weight AI dominance amid US regulatory fearsChina’s dominance in open-weight artificial intelligence faces a fresh challenge from Meta Platforms, whose renewed push into open-source models could lure away American customers anxious about looming regulatory restrictions in Washington, analysts say. The US tech giant on Monday launched Muse Glimmer, a 30-billion-parameter open-weight model light enough to run locally on personal computers, while also announcing plans to release the weights of its latest flagship Muse Spark 1.2 model. In a.. (opens original source in a new tab)Xinmei Shen·11 August 2026
Technology (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AsiaMalaysia: Digital Ministry Integrates Agentic AI Into MyGOV PlatformMalaysia’s Digital Ministry is integrating Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the MyGOV Malaysia platform as part of efforts to improve digital public services and streamline interactions with government agencies. The technology is intended to transform MyGOV from a service aggregation portal into a digital assistant capable of guiding users through government transactions more efficiently. The […] (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AI·11 August 2026
Technology (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AsiaSingapore: NUS Deepens AI Adoption Across University OperationsNUS is expanding AI across education, research and administration while embedding AI literacy, responsible use and digital skills into the university experience for future-ready graduates and researchers. (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AI·11 August 2026
Technology (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AsiaIndia: GeM Sets AI and Digital Procurement Priorities for Next DecadeIndia’s Government e-Marketplace is entering its next decade with a focus on advanced AI-enabled procurement, wider participation and deeper integration across government systems. (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AI·11 August 2026
