AI race: Asia outruns Europe | November 12th 2025

What's in this episode:

• The Chinese influencer who spent an estimated $500,000 on 10,000 hyaluronic acid injections for artificial eight-pack abs, seeking a Guinness World Record.
• TOP BIT: Asia’s Data Boom — The New Power Race
  • Asia is set to account for 40% of global data center capacity by 2030, requiring over $800 billion in investments, turning the region into a geopolitical battleground for data dominance.
  • Focus areas include: Singapore's "green" facilities, Thailand's fast-track billion-dollar projects, South Korea's $35B AI-driven 3 GW complex, and India's rise to a projected 4.5 GW market by 2030.
  • Global giants (AWS, Google, Meta) are investing over $360 billion in new infrastructure worldwide.
• NUMBER OF THE DAY: $300 Billion
  • The projected revenue scale of Southeast Asia’s digital economy in 2025 (with GMV expected to surpass $300 billion).
  • E-commerce remains king; social commerce is a major growth driver, projected to account for 25% of online sales.
  • Investor capital is stabilizing, focusing on late-stage startups and growth in AI, fintech, and cross-border QR payments.
• MARKET BIT: SoftBank Goes All-In on OpenAI
  • SoftBank sold its entire Nvidia stake for $5.83 billion to fund a strategic shift toward AI applications and infrastructure.
  • $30.5 billion in Q4 allocations, primarily for OpenAI and Ampere, to fuel the Stargate project.
  • The pivot drove a massive Vision Fund gain, but also caused investor concerns about high valuations and the thin financing cushion for the mega-project.
• HEAD OF THE DAY: Carl Pei
  • The visionary behind Nothing and OnePlus, known for building global fan communities and focusing on design, emotion, and curiosity in tech.
  • Nothing generates around $600 million in annual revenue.
• Highlights: Sentiment lifted across Asia amid hopes for an end to the US government shutdown. Tokyo saw strong gains, and China's gold stocks rose.
• China’s Singles Day is losing its shine due to consumer fatigue and a weak economy.
• India and South Korea deepen defense ties with a joint shipbuilding alliance.
• Apple removes popular gay dating apps from its Chinese App Store under government order.
• Country Reads: Updates from Japan, South Korea, and Thailand.

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