The Wrap | 18 - 24 Oct 2025
Asia Tech Lens’ weekly digest: news, context, and signals shaping Asia’s tech future
Editor’s Note: Welcome back to The Wrap by Asia Tech Lens, our weekly digest of the signals, shifts, and stories shaping Asia’s tech future.
Each Friday, we highlight the week’s most important developments, with the context and bottom lines that matter. Whether it’s chips, AI, mobility, or education, our goal is to connect the dots across Asia’s fast-changing tech landscape.
We’d love to hear your feedback as we refine this series; reply directly or drop us a note on LinkedIn.
AI | India
India Targets Deepfakes
India proposes new IT regulations targeting AI-generated content, aiming to curb the surge of misinformation and deepfakes in the world’s most populous nation. The draft rules will require AI developers, social media companies, and video platforms to clearly label synthetic media, covering firms such as OpenAI, Meta, Google, and X (formerly Twitter), which would be required to mark all AI-produced output. The mandate stipulates that labels must cover at least 10% of an image, or the first 10% of any audio or video.
Bottom Line: In a country where a fake video can spark social or political unrest, India is moving to make AI transparency a legal requirement to curb scams and misinformation.
AI | China
China’s GenAI Boom: 515 Million Users
China’s generative AI user base doubled in six months to 515 million (36.5% adoption) by June 2025, according to a China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) survey of 30,000 people across 31 provinces. The report finds that more than 90% of respondents rely on domestic models, with OpenAI and Google DeepMind still blocked. Leaders cited include DeepSeek, Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen, and ByteDance’s Doubao.
Bottom Line: China’s GenAI growth sits in a clearly policy-led, domestic-first framework.
AI | South Korea
Anthropic Doubles Down on APAC; Announces Seoul Office
Anthropic will open its South Korea office in early 2026 as part of its Asia buildout. Asia now accounts for 25% of usage for its Claude Code AI tool, with South Korean weekly active users up sixfold in four months. The move comes on the heels of Anthropic’s global push to triple its international workforce. It follows planned offices in Tokyo and Bengaluru and builds on its existing relationship with SK Telecom, which invested $100 million in 2023.
Bottom Line: By betting on Seoul, Anthropic is hoping to convert South Korea’s lead into a broader APAC growth engine.
Defense Tech | South Korea
Korean Air Unveils Next-Gen UAVs
Korean Air revealed three new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), signaling a deeper investment in autonomous defense systems. The Low Observable Wingman UAV System (LOWUS) is a stealth, jet-powered “wingman” drone for formation with fighter jets; they also revealed a medium-strike (loitering-munition) UAV capable of independent target engagement, and the KUS-FX for surveillance in high-risk zones.
Bottom Line: Korea’s defense sector is accelerating investment in UAVs and autonomous systems for future combat.
Autonomous Vehicles | Singapore
Grab Advances Robotaxi Plans
Grab Holdings Ltd., one of Southeast Asia’s leading superapps, is backing driverless technology developer May Mobility Inc. with the goal of bringing robotaxis to the region in 2026. Grab is investing an undisclosed sum as part of a multiyear deal. May Mobility will tap Grab’s mapping to study Southeast Asia’s road infrastructure and adapt its systems to local traffic norms (including left-hand traffic). It will also integrate with Grab’s fleet-management, vehicle-matching, and routing systems.
Bottom Line: Grab is integrating leading AV tech into its fleets and dispatch, positioning Southeast Asia for rapid autonomous vehicle deployment.
Space Tech | Pakistan
Pakistan Soars High: Launches First Advanced Earth-imaging Satellite
Pakistan has launched its most advanced Earth-observation satellite, the HS-1, developed by SUPARCO and launched from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. The hyperspectral imaging payload can detect changes in land, water, and vegetation with high precision, including chemical composition of soil, crops, and minerals, beyond conventional satellites. This data will strengthen Pakistan’s climate monitoring, urban planning, disaster response, and support China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure projects.
Bottom Line: Pakistan enters a new era of space tech, using hyperspectral imaging to strengthen climate resilience and development planning through China-backed collaboration.
Signals to Watch:
Will mandatory labeling meaningfully reduce fake news in India, where misinformation can sway elections and destabilize society?
Can Anthropic’s Seoul office translate user growth into strong Korean developer partnerships?
Will Grab’s robotaxi pilots in Southeast Asia move from hype to public roads by 2026?
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Regarding the regulations on deepfakes in India, it's really insightful to see a country grappling with the practical implications of AI-generated content in such a direct way. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, especially when I'm browsing art online, how quickly things can be faked and how important that transparancy will be for everythng, from news to creative work.