Morning Brief

1. The digital renminbi will enter the era of digital deposit currency
2. Meta acquires Manus
3. GOG co-founder acquires the GOG platform
4. More than 20% of videos recommended by YouTube’s algorithm to new users are AI-generated junk
5. ACCA cancels online exams to combat cheating with AI tools
6. Fujifilm to begin shipping 40 TB magnetic tapes next January
7. LG releases UltraGear evo monitors
8. Rumors You Can Just Glance At

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The digital renminbi will enter the era of digital deposit currency

On December 29, the People’s Bank of China released the Action Plan on Further Strengthening the Management and Service System of the Digital RMB and the Construction of Related Financial Infrastructure. At the institutional level, the plan clarifies that the digital RMB will move from the era of digital cash into the era of digital deposit currency. A new-generation measurement framework, management system, operating mechanism, and ecosystem for the digital RMB will officially come into effect on January 1, 2026.

Under the new institutional arrangements, the digital RMB held by customers in commercial bank wallets will constitute account-based liabilities of commercial banks, marking the transition of the digital RMB from a cash-based 1.0 version to a deposit-currency-based 2.0 version. Banking institutions will pay interest on the balances of real-name digital RMB wallets in accordance with self-regulatory agreements on deposit interest rate pricing; banks will be able to independently conduct asset–liability management for digital RMB wallet balances; and deposit insurance will provide the same level of statutory security protection as for traditional deposits. Source

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Meta acquires Manus

On December 29, Meta announced the acquisition of AI startup Manus. Since releasing its general-purpose AI agent Manus earlier this year, the company has processed nearly 147 trillion tokens and created over 80 million virtual computers. Following the acquisition, some Manus team members will join Meta, while Manus will continue to operate as an independent company based in Singapore, and its services will remain available for separate purchase. Source

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GOG co-founder acquires the GOG platform

On December 29, GOG and CD PROJEKT co-founder Michal Kiciński fully acquired the GOG platform from CD PROJEKT. GOG is a game distribution platform known for its DRM-free philosophy, founded in 2007 by Marcin Iwiński and Michal Kiciński and officially launched in 2008. GOG will continue its partnership with CD PROJEKT, and CD PROJEKT RED titles will remain available on GOG. Michal Kiciński stated that he hopes to preserve GOG’s original vision—no forced bundling, no mandatory platform lock-in—so players can truly feel ownership of their games. CD PROJEKT will shift greater focus toward creating high-quality RPG titles. Source

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More than 20% of videos recommended by YouTube’s algorithm to new users are AI-generated junk

According to a report by The Guardian on December 27, video-editing company Kapwing analyzed the top 100 YouTube channels across various countries—around 15,000 channels in total—and found that 278 of them publish only AI-generated junk content (“AI slop”). These channels have collectively amassed 63 billion views, 221 million subscribers, and generate an estimated $117 million in annual revenue. The study also tested recommendation feeds using brand-new accounts and found that among the first 500 videos recommended by YouTube, 104 were AI junk—about one-third of which were low-quality “brainrot” content. Source

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ACCA cancels online exams to combat cheating with AI tools

According to the Financial Times, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) announced that starting in March, online exams will be canceled. Except in special circumstances, candidates will be required to take assessments in person. ACCA introduced online proctoring during the COVID-19 pandemic to accommodate candidates with special needs, but with the rapid advancement of AI tools, cheating methods have increasingly outpaced ACCA’s ability to monitor and control them, ultimately leading to this decision. In recent years, accounting industries in multiple countries have already seen cheating scandals. The Financial Times also learned through interviews that some candidates have indeed photographed exam questions and sent them to AI chatbots to cheat during exams. Source

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Fujifilm to begin shipping 40 TB magnetic tapes next January

Fujifilm has announced that it will begin selling the FUJIFILM LTO Ultrium 10 (40TB) data tape—LTO-10 (40TB)—starting in January 2026. The storage medium can hold 40 TB of uncompressed data, with a maximum capacity of up to 100 TB when compressed. Compared with the previous-generation LTO-10 (30TB), the recommended operating temperature range of LTO-10 (40TB) has been expanded to 15°C–35°C, and it can withstand up to 80% humidity at temperatures between 15°C and 25°C. According to Fujifilm, sales of magnetic tape as a storage medium have grown by around 10% annually since 2020. Source

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LG releases UltraGear evo monitors

On December 26, LG announced its new high-end gaming monitor lineup, UltraGear evo, with physical units set to be showcased at CES 2026. The lineup includes three models: the 39-inch 5K2K (5120×2160) OLED monitor 39GX950B, the 27-inch 5K MiniLED monitor 27GM950B, and the 52-inch 5K2K 240Hz monitor 52G930B. The 39-inch and 27-inch models feature exclusive functions such as on-monitor 5K AI upscaling, AI-based scene and audio optimization. The 27-inch model is equipped with 2,304 local dimming zones, designed to minimize haloing effects commonly seen on high-resolution MiniLED displays. Source

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Rumors You Can Just Glance At

• On December 29, Chery responded to Yicai and denied rumors of a partnership with Dreame to launch the Jetour Zongheng G700 in the first quarter of 2026. Source
• Samsung published a post announcing plans to integrate Google Photos into its Samsung AI TV lineup, allowing users to view their photos directly on the TV. Source
• Lenovo released an update for the Legion Go handheld, version 1.3.4.9, enabling the device to gain the Xbox full-screen experience feature that the ROG Ally supported at launch. Source
• SoftBank announced on December 29 that it will acquire data center investment firm DigitalBridge for $4 billion. Source