Skip to main content

Forget AlphaGo; China’s Alibaba is using its AI to predict TV talent show winners

Last month, Google altered our technophobic opinions on AI by using its AlphaGo program to defeat a world champion at the ancient Chinese board game of Go. Although most of us that tuned into the YouTube livestreams of the face-off were likely puzzled by the images of a computer typing out moves to a game we’d never heard of, it was a far cry from the nightmarish depictions of AI we’d become accustomed to in film and literature.

Now, China’s version of Google, Alibaba, is doing its bit to further familiarize us with the technology. Instead of tasking it with a board game that boasts limitless possibilities, however, it’s matching it up with a more pressing (and popular) task; predicting the winner of a TV singing contest.

Popular Chinese talent show 'I'm a Singer'
Popular Chinese talent show, ‘I’m a Singer’ Image used with permission by copyright holder

China’s popular reality TV show I’m a Singer will be getting the AI treatment, with Alibaba hoping it can outwit the public, and judges, by guessing the winner of the popular contest’s finale.

Recommended Videos

Simply titled “Ai”, the program was built by the ecommerce company’s cloud computing department, reports Tech in Asia. The project’s mastermind is a man named Dr. Min Wanli, who also held a research position at the IBM TJ Watson Research Center, known for its Watson AI.

Not content to tackle real-world issues, like the environment or economy, Alibaba is introducing Ai to the public on a popular platform as a proof-of-concept. In fact, the program’s entire approach will be tied to social media, which it will use to sift through mountains of data.

That makes it sound suspiciously close to a social media analytics tool. After all, the likes of Twitter and Facebook are already used by data scientists to predict everything from hurricane damage to election results. What makes Ai special, according to Alibaba, is its ability to also assess a singer’s “voice pitch and energy” and measure that against other factors, such as song choice and real-time audience response.

The Chinese tech giants’ AI will gather data throughout the course of I’m a Singer, presenting its results alongside the show’s judges. Alibaba promises that its program will be used to tackle real-world issues in the future, including other social trend predictions and personal assistance. Let’s just hope it doesn’t go rogue and nuke us all. Just kidding. That’s (probably) impossible, right?

Saqib Shah
Saqib Shah is a Twitter addict and film fan with an obsessive interest in pop culture trends. In his spare time he can be…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more