Huayu 2021: Isn’t he in the technology field?

Chapter 425 Expected Sanctions, Official Support

Just as Wuwen Technology's business was booming and its massive model was covering the globe at an astonishing speed, a sudden shadow loomed over it.

On February 15, the U.S. Congress formally introduced the "U.S. Artificial Intelligence and China Decoupling Act," which explicitly stipulates that downloading or using Wanxiang within the United States is illegal.

Individual violators could face fines of up to $1 million and up to 20 years in prison, while corporate violations could result in fines of up to $100 million.

Almost simultaneously, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the White House announced a national security investigation into Vientiane.

Virginia, Texas, New York, and other states took the lead in banning the use of Vientiane on government facilities.

The United States has further tightened export restrictions on AI chips to China in an attempt to prevent China from acquiring high-performance computing chips.

Companies such as Nvidia and AMD have been asked to provide customer information for AI chips sold in Asia in an effort to cut off Vientiane's access to high-end chips through third-party countries such as Singapore.

The U.S. government also added Wuwen Technology to the Entity List on national security grounds, restricting its exchanges and cooperation with U.S. companies, universities and laboratories.

Some well-known companies have followed the government's lead, prohibiting their employees and developers from using Wanxiang services and promoting the "de-Wanxiangization" of the global ecosystem.

Artificial intelligence companies such as OpenAI have been actively lobbying the US government to ban Wanxiang on grounds of "national subsidies" and "lack of data transparency," attempting to marginalize it from mainstream app stores and the developer ecosystem.

When the news reached China, it caused an uproar on the internet.

"That's shameless! You're resorting to cheating when you can't win!"

"This is blatant technological hegemony! They can't stand others being better than them!"

"20 years in prison? A $100 million fine? Is this still the 21st century? Don't you guys always shout that technology knows no borders?"

"What should we do? Will Vientiane be affected? I just got used to using it..."

"Brothers, this is a critical moment! We must support our own technology!"

"Yes! Unconditionally support Wuwen Technology! Support Jiang Shen!"

The Weibo hot search list was instantly dominated by related topics.

"US bans Vientiane"
"Support Wuwen Technology" explodes
"Technological Hegemony"
"Wanxiang Grand Model" is popular
Clicking on any related entry will reveal indignant comments from netizens.

"They imposed various sanctions and blockades before, preventing us from getting high-end chips. Now that they see we can develop AI that's even more powerful than theirs without high-end chips, they're resorting to the same old tricks again!"

"This is the free competition they keep talking about all day? It's hilarious!"

"To be honest, ChatGPT used to be charged, but now Wanxiang is fast, good, and free, of course they're anxious!"

"I believe Jiang Shen definitely has a way! Wuwen Technology, hang in there!"

"Support Jiang Shen!"

Major media outlets quickly followed up with reports, their words filled with dissatisfaction with the US approach and support for Wuwen Technology.

Caijing.com published a quick commentary: "Using administrative means when you can't compete technologically, the American philosophy of competition has once again lowered its standards!"

The Global Times published an editorial stating, "No amount of suppression can stop China's technological progress!"

The Paper launched a special report: "Wanxiang is under siege, how can Huaxia Technology break through?"

However, the atmosphere inside the Wuwen Science and Technology Park was not as tense as outsiders might imagine.

Chen Duo strode into Jiang Qing's office, his face filled with worry.

"President Jiang, have you seen the news from the United States? The situation is more serious than we expected."

Jiang Qing was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the employees coming and going in the park outside.

Upon hearing Chen Duo's words, he turned around, his face showing no sign of tension, and a smile playing on his lips.

"I saw it. It was expected."

He walked to the coffee machine and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Tell me the details."

Chen Duo opened his tablet and quickly gave a report.

"The bill has entered the fast-track review process and is expected to be voted on within a week. The Department of Commerce's investigation was launched last week, but no one has been sent over yet. Regarding the chip restrictions, Nvidia and AMD have both stated that they will cooperate with the investigation, but they have privately communicated with us that they will try their best to negotiate."

What about the feedback from within China?

Jiang Qing took a sip of coffee, her tone calm.

"Domestic platforms have all expressed their firm support for us, and some have even offered to increase their server investment. AWS and Azure have temporarily suspended the Wanxiang service, but their technical teams have contacted us privately, saying that they are looking for compliant solutions."

Jiang Qing nodded and walked to the desk to sit down.

How is everyone's mood?

“Some young employees are a little worried, especially those in the overseas business department.”

Chen Duo spoke the truth.

"However, the overall situation is still relatively stable."

"Notify all department heads that there will be a short meeting in half an hour."

Jiang Qing glanced at the time.

"Go and prepare the materials first."

Chen Duo looked somewhat hesitant.

"President Jiang, regarding this matter... do we need to take any special measures?"

Jiang Qing chuckled softly and put down her coffee cup.

"Just respond according to normal procedures. Remember, we are developing world-leading technology and creating excellent products. Users will vote with their feet."

Seeing Jiang Qing so calm, Chen Duo felt inexplicably at ease.

"Yes, Mr. Jiang, I understand."

Half an hour later, the largest conference room at Wuwen Technology was filled with department heads, and the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

Everyone looked somewhat serious, after all, this was the biggest external challenge the company had faced since its inception.

While everyone was discussing the matter, Zhao Quan and Zhang Bin, who were sitting next to the main seat, appeared relatively calm.

They know Jiang Qing too well and have complete confidence in him.

Just then, the conference room door was pushed open, and Jiang Qing strode into the conference room, went straight to the head seat and sat down. His calm gaze swept over everyone present, and the conference room quickly quieted down.

"Everyone, you all know the news from America."

He got straight to the point.

"Feel free to share your thoughts."

The manager in charge of overseas business spoke first.

“President Jiang, our business in the United States will definitely be severely impacted. More importantly, this ban may have a demonstration effect, prompting other Western countries to follow suit and restrict us.”

Zhao Quan then voiced his concerns.

“The chip limitation is indeed a problem. Although Wanxiang’s computing power requirements are much lower than similar models, in the long run, if we cannot obtain high-end chips at all, it will affect our subsequent research and development.”

The marketing director then added.

"The pressure from public opinion is also immense. Foreign media are overwhelmingly promoting the threat theory, which may cause many uninformed users to have doubts about Wanxiang."

After everyone had finished speaking, Jiang Qing looked around at everyone's expressions.

"The problems that everyone mentioned all exist, but..."

He paused briefly and smiled.

"You've overlooked a few points."

Everyone watched him intently, waiting for him to continue.

"First, Wanxiang is open source."

Jiang Qing held up one finger and looked around at everyone.

"The code is there; anyone can download, use, and modify it. Unless the United States can shut down the entire internet, they cannot stop the spread of technology."

"Secondly, the training cost in Vientiane is only $500 million."

He raised his second finger.

"What does this mean? It means that any medium-sized company, or even a university, can replicate our achievements. What is the point of the blockade?"

"The third and most important point."

Jiang Qing surveyed the entire room, his tone firm and resolute.

"Vientiane is stronger than all its competitors, and it spends less. Faced with absolute technological superiority, all administrative measures are just paper tigers!"

His tone was firm.

"Notify all employees to continue working as usual and to do what needs to be done. The overseas business department should focus on expanding into non-US markets, the technology department should continue to optimize algorithm lines, and the marketing department should strengthen communication with existing partners."

"Roger that!"

All the executives stood up and responded in unison.

This time, his voice was full of confidence.

The people sitting here are all undoubtedly capable. With Jiang Qing's analysis, they immediately understood the core of the problem, instantly regained their confidence, and found direction.

After the meeting, the key points quickly spread throughout the company.

All employees were reassured and continued to devote themselves wholeheartedly to their work.

At the same time, Wuwen Technology's official response was also published on its official website.

"We regret the relevant US legislation. Wuwen Technology has always believed that technological development should be open and inclusive. Any attempt to artificially obstruct technological exchange will ultimately harm global technological progress and human well-being. As an open-source project, Wuwen will continue to provide high-quality services to developers and enterprises worldwide. We believe that excellent technologies and products will ultimately win the market."

This humble yet assertive statement won unanimous praise from Chinese netizens.

"They have vision! They have confidence!"

"This is what a tech giant should be like!"

"Jiang Shen is awesome! Go Wuwen Technology!"

"support!"

……

Domestically, there is almost unanimous support.

And as Jiang Qing had predicted, things unfolded exactly as he had.

Despite strong pressure from the US government in an attempt to unite allies to contain Vientiane, the actual effect has been extremely limited.

In an interview, the German Minister of Economy stated bluntly: "We will not reject excellent technology for political reasons. Vientiane performed excellently in multiple tests and is open source and transparent, so we have no reason to ban it."

A spokesperson for the French presidential palace stated, "Technical assessments should be based on professional standards, not geopolitics."

What's even more embarrassing for the United States is that even its closest allies, the United Kingdom and Canada, have only symbolically banned the use of Vientiane within their governments, while remaining open to commercial applications, including scientific research.

Former US President Trump even posted on social media: "Vientiane should serve as a wake-up call for our industry, reminding us to focus on competition in order to win."

It's obvious that he'll support what the old man forbids.

In an interview, a European technology company executive openly stated to the media: "Who would abandon advanced and affordable high-tech products and instead use old relics? Unless they're crazy."

In the open-source community, support for Wanxiang is only increasing.

The number of stars for the Wanxiang project on GitHub actually increased after the ban was announced, rising by 20% within a week. Developers worldwide have demonstrated their support for open technology through their actions.

Two weeks later, an interview video went viral online.

In the video, Marc Andreessen, a well-known venture capitalist in Silicon Valley, speaks frankly to the camera.

"A ban? That's a joke. Every Silicon Valley company I know uses Vientiane, they just have to use a VPN now. You know what, VPN service sales have increased threefold recently!"

He laughed as soon as he finished speaking.

"Honestly, those people in the government don't understand technology at all. You can ban a product, but you can't ban a good idea. Vientiane is better than all our existing big models, and that's the crux of the matter."

The video quickly spread globally, and the US government's ban became the target of ridicule.

Domestic netizens were overjoyed.

"Haha, official self-deprecation is the most lethal!"

"Facts have proven that the United States is just a paper tiger, nothing at all!"

"Haha! VPN sales have skyrocketed, isn't that amazing?"

"So, having good skills is the only real advantage!"

"The US has really shot itself in the foot this time!"

"What's this called? Jiang Qing single-handedly dominated North America?"

"Wuwen Technology is awesome! Jiang Shen is awesome..."

At the same time, Vientiane's global downloads continue to grow steadily.

In addition to its home market, the number of users in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe has reached new highs.

Data shows that in the week following the ban, Vientiane's daily downloads actually increased by 15% compared to before.

Half a month passed in a flurry of changing circumstances.

One afternoon in early March, Jiang Qing was reviewing the latest technical report in his office when Chen Duo knocked on the door and came in, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"President Jiang, I just received a notification that CCTV will be reporting on us tonight! It will be for one and a half minutes, and there will be footage of you being interviewed!"

Jiang Qing looked up from the computer screen at him.

"Xinwen Lianbo?"

"Yes! The reporter has already arrived at the park, saying he wants to take a few more shots."

Chen Duo's expression revealed a hint of excitement.

"This is setting the tone for us!"

"understood."

Jiang Qing smiled, not too surprised.

At 7 p.m. that evening, countless people turned on their televisions as usual to watch the evening news.

At the fifteen-minute mark of the program, the anchor said with a smile, "Now, please watch a brief news segment."

The scene shifts, and the iconic butterfly-shaped building of the Wuwen Science and Technology Park appears on the screen, accompanied by the subtitle: "my country's artificial intelligence technology has made breakthrough progress, leading the world."

"Recently, the Wanxiang Big Data Model, independently developed by my country's Wuwen Technology Co., Ltd., has attracted widespread attention worldwide. The model has performed excellently in multiple international evaluations and has become an important force in the field of artificial intelligence."

The camera pans across the bustling R&D center, showing technicians working at their computers, followed by application examples of Wanxiang large-scale models in fields such as healthcare, education, and industry.

The scene then switches to Jiang Qing being interviewed.

He was wearing a simple white shirt, sitting in his office with a smile on his face.

"Artificial intelligence technology should serve all of humanity."

Jiang Qing faced the camera, her tone calm.

"We hope to enable more people to enjoy the benefits of technological progress through open source and open access, and jointly promote the healthy development of the artificial intelligence industry."

The entire report lasted one minute and thirty seconds, with Jiang Qing appearing on camera for more than ten seconds.

This short report immediately sparked a heated response across the country.

Before the program even ended, the hashtag "CCTV reports on all aspects of life" had already topped the trending searches.

"One and a half minutes! This treatment is comparable to a major national project!"

"Jiang Shen is amazing!"

"See that? That's the attitude! The higher-ups are strongly supporting Wuwen Technology!"

"Tonight is Wuwen Technology's shining moment!"

"Jiang Qing is so calm and composed in front of the camera!"

"Jiang Shen's face withstood the CCTV camera, haha..."

Major media outlets quickly followed up, providing detailed interpretations of the deeper meaning behind the CCTV News report.

Caijing magazine published a commentary: "The CCTV report sends a clear signal that the government will fully support hardcore technology companies like Wuwen Technology to create a national brand in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence!"

Science and Technology Daily front-page headline: "The 'All-Encompassing Model' receives official recognition, marking a shining moment for Chinese AI!"

Even the usually serious state media published a micro-comment: "Only by mastering core technologies can one remain invincible amidst ever-changing circumstances!"

That night, the WeChat groups within Wuwen Technology were in an uproar.

"I saw the report! I'm so excited!"

"President Jiang looks so handsome on camera!"

"Our company is about to take off!"

"It was all worth the overtime!"

Zhao Quan sent a message in the management group: "Everyone, this is just the beginning."

Jiang Qing replied with a smiling emoji.

The number of visitors to Wuwen Science and Technology Park surged the next day.

In addition to media reporters, many partners and investment institutions also sent people to conduct on-site inspections.

Jiang Qing's schedule is packed full.

In the morning, I first gave an exclusive interview, and then discussed in-depth cooperation with representatives of HW Cloud.

In the afternoon, I received a technology delegation from Singapore, and then chaired a company strategy meeting.

Inside the meeting room, the department heads were in high spirits, a stark contrast to their somber demeanor when faced with the US ban.

"CCTV's report has brought us more attention, but also greater responsibility."

Jiang Qing's gaze swept over everyone present.

"Next, we need to do three things well."

"First, technology cannot stop. The research and development testing of Vientiane 2.0 needs to be accelerated, and I hope to see initial results by the end of this year."

"Second, we need to further strengthen ecosystem development. In particular, we need to invest more resources in the operation and maintenance of the open source community."

"Third, internationalization should not be slowed down because of the US ban. On the contrary, we should be more proactive in exploring other markets."

He looked around at everyone, his tone firm.

"Remember our goal: to build the world's best artificial intelligence platform so that technology can truly benefit everyone."

After the meeting ended, Jiang Qing returned to her office and found dozens of congratulatory messages on her phone.

Meng Ziyi sent a series of exclamation marks.

"I saw the news!!! Jiang Qing, you're amazing!!! I love you!"

Wang Churan still can't hide her fandom.

"Everyone in the supertopic is incredibly excited! It's even more lively than Chinese New Year! I even used my alternate account to repost a big influencer's in-depth analysis in the supertopic, hehe~"

Tian Xiwei's voice was full of excitement.

"Brother~ My mom just asked me if I know you! I said of course I do! Hahaha!"

Zhang Jingyi sent a brief congratulatory message.

"I saw the report. Dr. Chiang really has a lot of influence!"

Li Yitong's writing still carries a hint of teasing.

"Jiang, the richest man, is getting more and more powerful. When are you going to renovate my shop again?"

Zhang Ruonan's message conveyed her concern.

"I specifically went to watch the original video, and you seem to have lost weight?"

Liu Haocun immediately started acting cute.

"I saw it trending today and realized it's been so long since I've seen you. Should I fly over to see you tonight?"

Jiang Qing replied to each one with a smile.

Unsurprisingly, neither Zhou Ye nor Chen Duling reacted.

As evening fell, Jiang Qing stood alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of her office, overlooking the city as its lights began to twinkle.

From the release of Vientiane to today, it has only been a little over a month, but it feels like an eternity.

Doubts, praise, bans, strong support... all of this has enabled Wuwen Technology to grow at an unprecedented speed.

My phone vibrated; it was a call from Zhang Yi.

"Jiang Qing, all our relatives and friends saw you on TV today, and they've been calling one after another to congratulate you."

Her voice was full of pride.

“Your dad didn’t say it, but he secretly recorded it and watched it several times.”

Jiang Qing couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Mom, this is just the beginning. There will be more good news to come."

"Okay, okay, take care of yourself and don't overwork yourself."

Zhang Yi gave her instructions.

"Come home for dinner when you have time. Oh, and you can bring Churan along."

"Ok, no problem."

After chatting for a while, Jiang Qing finally hung up the phone amidst Zhang Yi's repeated reminders and instructions.

Outside the window, the night was quiet, and countless lights, like twinkling stars, gathered into a sea of ​​light.

Jiang Qing picked up her coat, turned off the office lights, and headed for the elevator.

He's almost done with his work at the company. After a while, once he's finished arranging some important matters, he can finally relax.

It's time to see some of the people I've been wanting to see.

(End of this chapter)