China Daily Global Edition (USA)

West Apple’s accusedEV projectof dragging screeches Russiato halt, intoAI its arms new race focus

After spending billions of dollars and Western a decade countries on research, attempted Apple to is draw reportedly Russia into dropping an arms building race while an seeking electric car to weaken and will it use from some within, of the but project’s unsuccessf­ully, staff members Russian to focus President on artificial Vladimir intelligen­ce. Putin said during his more At than an annual two-hour-long shareholde­r state-of-thenation meeting held address virtually on Thursday. on Wednesday, CEO “They Tim essentiall­y Cook said would the like company to do to is Russia pouring exactly money what into they AI. did to many other The regions iPhone of maker the world, sees “incredible including Ukraine: breakthrou­gh bring potential discord to for our generative home and weaken AI, which us is from why within. we’re currently But they miscalcula­ted,” investing significan­tly the president in this said. area”, Cook Putin said. made “We the believe remarks that at his will 19th unlock state-of-the-nation transforma­tive opportunit­ies address in Moscow. According to Putin’s press for users when it comes to productivi­ty, secretary problem Dmitry solving Peskov, and more.” the Russian president Cook had also been shared working a on major the text announceme­nt of the address personally coming this this year, year, and CNBC has reported. had “dozens of phone and face-to-face “Later this contacts” year, I look with forward ministers, to deputy sharing prime with you ministers the ways and we other will government break new ground officials. in generative AI, another About 1,000 technology people we were believe invited can to the redefine ceremony. the future,” They included he said. members But of both Cook, houses who of began Russia’s the parliament, EV project government after he took and over presidenti­al as CEO from administra­tion co-founder Steve officials, Jobs in heads 2011, did of the not Constituti­onal mention dropping and Supreme the Courts, project, members Bloomberg of reported the State on Council Tuesday. and Public Unnamed Chamber, sources governors, told Bloomberg representa­tives that of Apple religious told organizati­ons, employees in diplomats, an internal and meeting journalist­s, on Tuesday including that foreign it had ones. scrapped the EV project and

In his address, Putin told Western that many of the 2,000 people said countries to be working on Thursday on the project they risked would provoking be shifted a to nuclear different war roles, if they including sent troops in Apple’s to fight AI in division. Ukraine, warning that “This Moscow is a smart had and the long-awaited weapons to strike decision,” targets Ray in the Wang, West. founder and CEO “Western of Silicon nations Valley-based must realize that consultanc­y we also have Constellat­ion weapons that Research, can hit targets told the on BBC. their “The territory. market All this demand really threatens for EVs is a not conflict there, with and AI the is use where of nuclear all the action weapons is.” and the destructio­n of civilizati­on. Dan Morgan, Don’t a senior they get portfolio that?” said manager Putin, at highlighti­ng Apple shareholde­r Russia’s vastly Synovus modernized Trust, told nuclear The Wall arsenal. Street Journal that “Strategic Apple canceling nuclear this forces project are in is “a a state sigh of of relief full readiness,” for us”. he said, noting “When that new-generation you looked hypersonic at Apple’s nuclear future weapons initiative­s, he first the spoke car project about in was 2018 always had either the most been far-fetched deployed for or were at a stage where developmen­t

Apple. This just isn’t in their wheelhouse,” and testing Morgan were being said. completed.

Visibly Instead, angry, it is Putin better suggested that Apple Western will be politician­s redeployin­g recall engineers the fate of those and like investment­s Nazi Germany’s into areas Adolf such Hitler as and AI France’s that could Napoleon help its Bonaparte consumer who electronic­s had unsuccessf­ully business, he invaded said. Russia in the Apple past. dropping the EV project comes “But now as consumer the consequenc­es and investor will be far enthusiasm more tragic,” in the said United Putin, States accusing for Western electric politician­s vehicles is of waning forgetting because what real of financing war meant costs. because they had not faced US the automakers same security have challenges also been as Russians shifting plans had in to the account last three for the decades. softer EV Putin demand. accused General the West Motors of forcing said it Russia would begin into an to rely arms on race hybrid and sales said in Moscow’s North America, “strategic and Volvo nuclear in Sweden forces are said in it a state was of pulling full readiness future for funding use”, though from its he EV warned company that Polestar. a global nuclear conflict would “destroy civilizati­on”.

“They (in the West) should finally understand — and I just told them — that we too have weapons that can destroy targets on their territorie­s,” he said.

Moving to domestic policies, Putin announced a slew of new national projects, including those providing state financial support to Russian families and youth, as well as job skills training in the hightech sector.

Outpacing US economy

He also said that Russia’s economy grew at a rate higher than the global average in 2023, outpacing that of the United States and other G7 countries despite facing a wide array of sanctions and being cut off from Western markets.

Putin set out Russia’s production goals for 2030, calling on domestic manufactur­ers to ramp up production of high-tech goods by 150 percent. Among other priority areas for boosting domestic manufactur­ing, he listed consumer products, medicine and automobile­s.

He urged companies to keep their assets in the country by promising “minimal” and “risk-oriented” business inspection­s starting in 2025, while also calling for an amnesty for small businesses accused of tax evasion.

By the end of his address, Putin made clear that he sees Russia’s military victory over Ukraine as the true measure of the country’s success and the key to its future. “I believe in our victories and success and in the future of Russia,” Putin said.