Key Developments
- 360 exits inputting in NEVs: Planned 2.9 billion RMB investment in Nezha Auto in 2021; equity transferred for 0 RMB and further funding stopped in 2022
- OpenAI新一轮融资: Valuation potential exceeds $1.2 trillion according to preliminary talks
- Monthly payment services status: Alipay, Meituan, Douyin, JD all confirm no service suspension notices received
Exit from the EV Arena: Zhou Hongyi’s Reflections and Industry Reality
At the 5th International Summit on BeiDou Scale Applications on September 15, 360 Group founder Zhou Hongyi stated definitively: “No more investments in new energy vehicles” after pointing to prior losses. 360 had previously invested in Nezha Auto, originally planning to inject 2.9 billion RMB, but terminated further investment in 2022 after the OEMSequential losses.
Zhou explained that 360’s intended role was to “support and assist the founding team,” but tensions emerged as the founder’s equity stake diminished. Nezha Auto’s trajectory validates this concern: the 2022 delivery champion with over 150,000 units, but by March 2026陷入 bankruptcy, wage arrears, supplier defaults, with founders designated as untrustworthy被执行 parties.
With EV hardware demanding massive capital, Zhou now sees greater opportunity in artificial intelligence and embodied AI, marking 360’s strategic pivot.
OpenAI’s Ascent to $1.2 Trillion Valuation
On September 16, reports indicated OpenAI has initiated preliminary talks for a new funding round targeting a valuation exceeding $1.2 trillion. Should this materialize, it would rank as the highest private company valuation in tech history, surpassing even Saudi Aramco’s peak market cap. ChatGPT’s user growth and API demand provide the fundamentals, though the valuation draw scrutiny on sustainable profitability.
Payment Service Clarification: Platforms Reject “Exits from Payment Options” Headlines
On September 16, the topic “monthly payment services exiting payment options” hit Weibo hot search, raising user concerns. Alipay, Meituan, Douyin, and JD all confirmed no suspension notices received, services remain operational.
Alipay customer service clarified: hua bei services operate normally, compliance with national regulations prevails; Meituan Yuefu у学生 service unchanged; Douyin Yuefu stated no related notices; JD Whiteelong confirmed steady operations.
Other Notable Tech Updates
- Nubia NaviX Ultra launch: Features Doubao mobile assistant, 12GB+512GB starts at 5499 RMB (after national subsidy), supports 10+ Chinese dialects including Minnan and Cantonese
- Ask egret retails restructuring: As of September 16, dealer contracts signed with赛力斯汽车 instead of Huawei Terminal; retail channel management transferred to Seres
- Geely clarifies battery strategy misconception: Explicitly rejecting claims of abandoning in-house development or the nonexistent “8.5 billion RMB investment” regarding Ningde Time’s Yueing acquisition
- Xiaomi automotive testing scale: As of August 31, 2,696 test vehicles deployed with 40 million km cumulative testing mileage, covering extreme environments
- AI salary benchmark: First seven months 2026 average AI岗位 salary 63,160 RMB; FDE field deployment engineers grew 1522.73%, fastest among technical roles
| Consider Now vs. Wait | Reason |
|---|---|
| Consider immediately | Nubia NaviX Ultra方言 support suits multilingual users; Apple iPhone Duo useful for multi-window workflows pending reliability verification |
| Wait and observe | Virgin Galactic 5.1 million RMB spaceflight requires self-funded flights, visas, cancellation risks; Ask egret dealer network transition outcomes pending; OpenAI’s $1.2T valuation could reset domestic LLM pricing |
Final Thoughts
The NEV sector is entering rational consolidation after capital euphoria, with Nezha Auto demonstrating the sector’s extreme capital intensity and long horizons; temporary confusion over payment services underscores consumer habit sensitivity, requiring rapid platform clarification to protect trust; AI infrastructure and talent competition intensify, with Apple’s server entry and soaring AI salaries foreshadowing new vertical computing arms races.