The Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei Province is betting on data to power next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) development, from training robots to building AI models.
At a local training center, data from dozens of robot models is being collected and standardized on a single platform to feed the AI systems behind embodied intelligence. The challenge, however, lies in the variety of robot types and data formats, a task undertaken by the China Xiong'an Group Digital City Company.
"We developed the embodied AI data processing platform. Based on our software capabilities, we've achieved unified data conversion across different robot configurations, allowing us to produce high-quality datasets," said Cao Yue, business manager of the company.
This standardized data serves not only robotics but also a broader AI ecosystem taking shape in the area. Next door, Stable AI, a startup founded by Tsinghua University alumni, is applying the same principle to a much wider range of industries.
While much of the AI industry focuses on large language models trained on text, Stable AI is building something different: a large data model trained on structured, real-world data drawn from multiple industries simultaneously.
"Our company was founded in 2024. Until now it's only like one and half year. And we [are] actually the first large data model in China, so previously it's only like small models. But now it's like a big model [that] can do many things," said Yu Fei, vice president of Stable AI.
That model is already finding its way into a wide range of industries across the region.
"So far, we have already like applied in 60 scenario cases and including like the aero industry, finance, biopharmacy, like a smart city also. And energy, electricity industry, etc.," Yu said.
From teleoperation mishaps to terabytes of standardized data, Xiong'an is betting that today's groundwork will fuel tomorrow's breakthroughs in AI, positioning the area as a key player in China's data-driven innovation drive.
China's Xiong'an new area bets on data to power next-generation AI development
Yemen is once again teetering on the brink of a wider conflict, as military escalation between Yemen's Houthi group and Saudi Arabia threatens to unravel years of relative calm and complicate ongoing efforts led by the United Nations to revive the political process.
The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, claimed to have shot down a Saudi surveillance drone early Tuesday in central Yemen's Bayda Province, following exchanges of cross-border strikes that ended a period of relative calm. Although the attacks have stopped for now, tensions remain high. The Houthis say they will continue efforts to end what it describes as the blockade on the Sanaa International Airport and at Yemen's ports, raising concerns that the conflict could escalate again.
"Our military operations against Saudi airports will continue, escalate, and expand until Saudi Arabia is forced to announce an end to the aggression and the blockade. Our demands are legitimate. They include ending the aggression, lifting the blockade, and withdrawing all foreign forces from Yemen. Keeping the current situation unchanged means the suffering of the Yemeni people will continue," said Mohammed Al-bukhaiti, a member of the Political Bureau of Ansar Allah (Houthis).
Concerns are not limited to continued cross-border strikes, with increasing fears that fighting on the ground could return after reports of military buildups near the Yemen-Saudi border.
Analysts say that a wider conflict could push Yemen back into a more complex phase of the war and undermine the de-escalation that has largely held since the UN-brokered truce in 2022.
"I believe what is happening now is the calm before the storm. Sanaa is continuing its escalation, and all indications point to that, including the ongoing tribal mobilization, military buildups, and Sanaa's repeated statements that it will continue escalating until all forms of the blockade on the Republic of Yemen are lifted. All these factors indicate that a major escalation could take place in the next phase. The situation is dangerous and could turn into serious problems if it is not addressed and political understandings are not reached to end this situation," said Ahmed Al-Mukhtafi, a political analyst. At the same time, the UN is trying to prevent the crisis from worsening, with UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Tuesday holding talks in the Omani capital Muscat with Omani officials and the chief Houthi negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam.
The representatives reportedly discussed ways to reduce tensions and restart the political process, including covering military, security, and economic issues, in an effort to keep the chances of a comprehensive peace agreement alive.
Yemen edging closer to wider conflict as Houthis, Saudi Arabia trade strikes
