Morning Brief

1. X launches messaging app XChat
2. U.S. asks diplomats to warn other countries about China’s AI distillation practices
3. Domestic AI firms told not to accept unapproved U.S. investment
4. Hong Kong steps up e-cigarette ban promotion ahead of Golden Week
5. FILCO keyboard parent company shuts down
6. Authorities respond to claims that Doubao accessed 2026 Shandong civil service exam results early
7. News Worth a Quick Look

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X launches messaging app XChat

On April 24, X officially launched its standalone messaging app XChat to the public, currently available only on iOS. XChat uses X accounts for login and supports text messaging, file sharing, voice and video calls, as well as group chats. Meanwhile, due to low usage and widespread spam on X’s existing Communities feature, it will be shut down, with XChat serving as the new hub for migrating community members.

In terms of privacy, XChat claims to be free of ads and tracking mechanisms, and offers features such as message editing and recall, disappearing messages, and screenshot protection. X also states that all messages are protected by a PIN code and use end-to-end encryption, though the industry remains skeptical. During early testing, experts warned that XChat’s security might not match that of mature encrypted apps like Signal, and the security of the official release still requires further evaluation.

X’s Head of Design, Benji Taylor, revealed that the current version is only the beginning of X’s push into instant messaging. The company is also internally testing a standalone payments app. Previously, Elon Musk had envisioned integrating messaging, payments, content creation, shopping, and AI into a single “super app” similar to WeChat. However, the launch of XChat suggests a shift toward a more modular product ecosystem.

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U.S. asks diplomats to warn other countries about China’s AI distillation practices

According to Reuters, the U.S. State Department sent a diplomatic cable last Friday to embassies worldwide, instructing American diplomats to warn foreign governments that Chinese AI companies such as DeepSeek may be “extensively stealing” intellectual property from U.S. AI firms through model distillation. Distillation refers to using outputs from large models to train smaller, lower-cost models. The cable also indicates that separate diplomatic démarches will be made to the Chinese government on this issue.

The document names companies including DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, and MiniMax, claiming that unauthorized distillation allows foreign firms to release comparable products at significantly lower costs, potentially undermining safety mechanisms and ideological neutrality in original models. Previously, OpenAI had raised similar concerns to U.S. lawmakers.

In response, the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. dismissed the claims as baseless and described them as a deliberate attack on China’s AI industry. DeepSeek has previously stated that its V3 model was primarily trained on naturally collected web data, not synthetic data generated by OpenAI models.

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Domestic AI firms told not to accept unapproved U.S. investment

According to Bloomberg, regulators are planning to restrict domestic tech companies—especially well-known AI startups—from accepting U.S. capital without prior government approval.

In recent weeks, agencies including the National Development and Reform Commission have issued guidance to several private tech firms, requiring them to reject unapproved U.S. funding. Companies such as Moonshot AI, which is seeking to expand financing, and StepFun, which is preparing for a Hong Kong IPO, have reportedly received such instructions. StepFun is also restructuring its overseas corporate setup in line with regulatory requirements. Additionally, authorities have imposed similar restrictions on ByteDance, prohibiting the transfer of existing shares to U.S. investors without approval.

These measures stem from concerns over the outflow of domestic technology. In December 2025, Meta announced the acquisition of AI agent startup Manus. Although registered in Singapore, Manus was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs. Prior to the acquisition, the company restructured and relocated its domestic staff to Singapore to complete the deal without regulatory review from Beijing. Authorities are now conducting a joint investigation into the transaction and its implications, and one of its co-founders has reportedly been restricted from leaving the country.

Previously, the U.S. had already implemented rules in 2025 banning its capital from investing in Chinese semiconductor, quantum computing, and AI companies.

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Hong Kong steps up e-cigarette ban promotion ahead of Golden Week

According to the South China Morning Post, as the Golden Week holiday approaches, Hong Kong has intensified promotion of its upcoming e-cigarette ban at airports, land border crossings, and mainland subway stations, while also collaborating with mainland media to raise awareness.

Under the revised Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, starting April 30, 2026, possession of specified alternative smoking products—including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and herbal cigarettes—will be prohibited in public places. Anyone found using or carrying activated alternative smoking products will be presumed to possess such items. Violations constitute a criminal offense; for small quantities intended for personal use, offenders will face a fixed penalty of HKD 3,000. Tourists will receive electronic penalty notices and can pay fines via Alipay or WeChat.

Authorities have also promoted earlier measures, including expanding statutory no-smoking areas to within three meters of entrances to designated premises such as care homes, schools, and hospitals. Smoking is also prohibited while queuing, including when waiting in lines of two or more people for public transport, within designated boarding areas (such as bus shelters), and when entering venues like cinemas, museums, and stadiums.

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FILCO keyboard parent company shuts down

According to GIGAZINE, Japan’s Diatec, best known for its mechanical keyboard brand FILCO, announced on its official website that it has ceased operations as of April 22, 2026.

In the announcement, Diatec apologized to consumers for the “sudden” news and thanked users for their long-term support. The company emphasized that all personal user data collected through e-commerce sales and after-sales support had been destroyed on April 22.

FILCO is a landmark brand in the history of mechanical keyboards. Its classic Majestouch series is known for durability and excellent typing feel, long regarded as a benchmark among high-end mass-produced mechanical keyboards, with strong reputation and recognition among enthusiasts.

In recent years, Diatec had continued to iterate on its products. In 2022, it launched the Majestouch Convertible 3, supporting both wired and wireless connectivity, offering multiple switch options including red, brown, blue, and silent red, along with various layouts. In 2023, it also introduced the Majestouch Xacro M10SP, a split mechanical keyboard with 10 macro keys.

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Authorities respond to claims that Doubao accessed 2026 Shandong civil service exam results early

According to Yangtze Evening News, on the evening of April 23, a user claimed online that they had accessed the 2026 Shandong public institution exam results using Doubao, even though the results were officially scheduled for release the following day. Screenshots of the results were shared before the post was later deleted.

In response, staff responsible for application policy consultation stated that since results were to be released on April 24, the query portal had been tested the night before. “Some users accidentally accessed it,” they said, adding that the test portal was promptly shut down after discovery and caused no adverse impact. Analysts believe the incident may have occurred because Doubao inferred the result URL based on patterns from previous years, while the official system began testing without adequate safeguards, leading to the so-called “early access.”

Such incidents caused by predictable URLs are not uncommon. In January 2011, Microsoft’s financial results were discovered hours early by a data company, forcing an early release. In May 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics uploaded CPI data 30 minutes ahead of schedule to a publicly guessable URL, though it went unnoticed. In November 2025, the UK’s Office for Budget Responsibility leaked its spring budget report a week early in a similar way, with at least seven IP addresses accessing it, leading to the chairman’s resignation.

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News Worth a Quick Look

• Analyst Dan Nystedt claims that the standard version of iPhone 18 (expected to be delayed to 2027) will feature 12GB of RAM, a 50% increase over the iPhone 17’s 8GB.
• OpenClaw 2026.4.24, released on April 26, sets DeepSeek V4 Flash as the default model.
• On April 24, Meta issued an internal memo announcing plans to lay off about 10% of its workforce (around 8,000 employees) on May 20 and cancel hiring for 6,000 open positions to offset heavy AI investment costs. As of early this year, Meta employed nearly 79,000 people globally. Affected U.S. employees will receive 16 weeks of pay, plus two additional weeks for each year of service, along with 18 months of healthcare coverage for themselves and their families. Around the same time, Microsoft announced its first voluntary buyout (early retirement) program for U.S. employees, open to senior directors and below whose combined age and tenure equal at least 70.
• According to TechCrunch, surging demand for running local AI models has led to a complete sellout of the M4 Mac mini through official channels, driving up prices in the second-hand market. The base model, originally priced at $599 (16GB RAM, 256GB storage), is currently unavailable for delivery or in-store pickup on Apple’s website, while higher-capacity versions are backordered until June. Multiple outlets note this is the first time the base model has completely sold out. On platforms like eBay, lightly used units are now listed above $700, with near-new units priced between $715 and $795.