SEPTEMBERASIA BUSINESS OUTLOOK9inDrive EXPANDS RIDE-HAILING SERVICES TO RIYADHNEWSROOMinDrive, the global ride-hailing platform known for its unique fare negotiation model, has officially launched its services in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.This marks inDrive's expansion into its second city in the Kingdom, further strengthening its footprint in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. inDrive's model allows riders to propose a fare for their trip, after which drivers can accept, reject, or counteroffer directly within the app. This approach creates a transparent and mutually agreed pricing system, differentiating inDrive from other ride-hailing platforms that rely solely on dynamic pricing algorithms.The company has emphasized its commitment to driver-friendly economics, stating that its service fees are 2­3 times lower than typical industry standards.This enables drivers to retain a higher share of their earnings. inDrive already operates in several MENA countries, including Morocco, Egypt, and Algeria, and views Saudi Arabia as a key growth market given its rapidly expanding urban mobility sector and supportive digital economy initiatives under Vision 2030.By offering competitive fares and empowering both riders and drivers to participate in price-setting, inDrive aims to attract a growing user base in Riyadh, where demand for flexible and affordable mobility solutions continues to rise. Cyberport, Hong Kong's government-backed tech incubator, is exploring the adoption of Chinese-made GPUs at its AI Supercomputing Centre to reduce reliance on Nvidia amid ongoing China-US technology tensions.The centre, which currently operates on Nvidia H800 chips delivering 1,300 petaflops of computing power, plans to expand capacity by 1,700 petaflops by the end of 2025, reaching 3,000 petaflops.Cyberport has tested GPUs from four domestic Chinese chipmakers at its AI lab, evaluating both performance and cost before making procurement decisions. The move reflects a growing industry trend where geopolitical considerations now outweigh purely technical choices, as Hong Kong seeks to strengthen supply chain resilience.The incubator is also building a 60,000 sq. ft. data centre, dedicating two-thirds of the space to AI computing, with a long-term goal of reaching 15,000 petaflops capacity by 2030.Chinese GPU makers such as Biren Technology and Moore Threads have recently demonstrated competitive performance, with some benchmarks showing domestic GPUs outperforming Nvidia in specific simulations, including flood defense modeling. This maturing ecosystem makes cost the key differentiator rather than performance.Nvidia itself has responded to US export restrictions by designing region-specific chips, including the B30 chip, which delivers 80 percent of its Blackwell performance for China, underlining the shift toward localized solutions. Cyberport's diversification strategy ensures Hong Kong remains a bridge between Chinese innovation and international AI infrastructure development. CYBERPORT EYES CHINESE GPUs TO CUT NVIDIA RELIANCE· inDrive launches ride-hailing operations in Riyadh, its second city in Saudi Arabia· Riders & drivers can negotiate fares directly within the app· Service fees for drivers are 2­3x lower than typical industry rates· Cyberport tests four Chinese GPU suppliers to diversify beyond Nvidia· AI capacity to expand to 3,000 petaflops by end of 2025· Hong Kong aims for 15,000 petaflops AI computing power by 2030AI
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