Human Resources Business Partner

JD.com joins World Retail Congress' first World Retail Lab Asia in Hong Kong. This week, JD.com joined retail leaders from across Asia and around the world at the inaugural World Retail Lab Asia, organized by the World Retail Congress in Hong Kong from October 12 to 14. The event brought together senior executives and industry experts to exchange perspectives on the future of retail, emerging technologies, and opportunities for international collaboration. Dr. Jianguang Shen, Vice President and Chief Economist of JD.com, delivered a keynote presentation titled "AI and the Future of Retail: Where Will the Next Wave of Growth Come From?" Dr. Shen shared how AI is reshaping the retail value chain, from helping consumers make better purchasing decisions and improving merchant productivity to making physical supply chains more intelligent and efficient. "The next wave of retail growth will not come simply from more traffic or more products. It will come from AI reshaping the entire retail value chain," he said. A key part of this transformation is physical AI - taking AI beyond the screen and into real-world environments such as stores, warehouses, delivery networks and services. With more than two decades of experience across retail, logistics, healthcare and more, JD.com is exploring how AI can connect digital intelligence with real-world operations, turning predictions into decisions and actions across the supply chain. Hong Kong offers a tangible example of this approach. Alongside JD MALL, JD.com is building deeper connections with local consumers through Kai Bo, which operates more than 100 stores across Hong Kong, while JD Logistics provides supply chain and logistics capabilities in the market. JD.com also aims to help Hong Kong brands connect more efficiently with consumers in the Chinese mainland and other global markets through its retail, logistics and supply chain network. During World Retail Lab Asia, international retail delegates also visited JD MALL in Hong Kong as part of the program's retail tours, offering an opportunity to see firsthand JD.com's approach to integrated online and offline retail. Through its participation in World Retail Lab Asia, JD.com continues to engage with the global retail community, sharing practical insights from its retail and supply chain operations while learning from peers across markets. As AI increasingly connects the digital and physical worlds, JD.com looks forward to working with retailers and partners in Hong Kong and globally to explore the next wave of retail innovation. (vivian.yang@jd,com)

Rino.ai completes $100 million Series C financing. Sia From Gasgoo | October 8, 2026 16:37 BJT Rino.ai, an L4 autonomous driving company, has completed its C2 financing round, bringing the company's total Series C funding to $100 million, according to a post on Rino.ai's WeChat account. Image Source: Rino.ai Key Takeaways The proceeds from the C2 round will be used to advance Rino.ai's L4 end-to-end technology and physical AI capabilities, expand its urban operating network and deepen ecosystem collaboration with industry partners. Rino.ai has developed capabilities spanning algorithms, product definition and autonomous fleet deployment for L4 autonomous driving. Rino.ai said it has established partnerships with major logistics and retail companies including SF Express, China Post, JD.com, SF Intra-city, Lalamove and Taobao Flash Delivery. It has delivered more than 5,000 autonomous logistics vehicles, with operations spanning nine application scenarios including express delivery and intra-city freight across more than 200 cities in China. Rino.ai has delivered several thousand units of the RX model since the launch in April 2026. Its R24 has also begun customer deliveries and operations, while public-road testing is underway in some cities. Technology and product development At the algorithm level, Rino.ai is focusing on mapless autonomous driving and physical AI. Its mapless solution does not rely on high-definition maps and can be deployed citywide using standard navigation maps. In 2026, the company's RX mapless solution began operating in multiple provinces and cities, including Shandong. Physical AI is being developed as an extension of Rino.ai's capabilities from autonomous driving toward embodied intelligence, with the aim of enabling vehicles to perform tasks beyond transportation. Rino.ai and SF Express have jointly developed a dual-cage self-unloading vehicle that is already operating in SF Express transfer facilities. The vehicle can automatically load and unload transfer cages, enabling integrated loading, unloading and transportation operations. At the product level, Rino.ai has built a product lineup covering urban distribution scenarios, including the automotive-grade RoboVan Rino RX and the Rino R24 autonomous light truck with a 24-cubic-meter cargo capacity. Commercial and manufacturing model Commercially, Rino.ai is pursuing a dual model combining technology licensing and transportation services. Rino Inside integrates its full-stack software, which the company says has been validated through tens of millions of kilometers of operation, into a standardized L4 integrated software-and-hardware solution available for licensing by automakers and logistics equipment companies. Under Rino FaaS, or fleet-as-a-service, Rino.ai provides transportation capacity directly to customers and handles vehicles, dispatching, maintenance and system updates, with customers paying based on actual delivery orders. On the manufacturing side, Rino.ai has established Chongqing Xiaoxiang Zhixing Technology Co., Ltd. in a joint venture with Shineray Motors. The company, described as the world's first RoboVan vehicle manufacturer, is already in production and has begun vehicle deliveries. On the battery side, Rino.ai is jointly developing dedicated batteries with Gotion JTM, a subsidiary of Gotion High-Tech. Gasgoo not only offers timely news and profound insight about China auto industry, but also help with business connection and expansion for suppliers and purchasers via multiple channels and methods. Buyer service: [email protected] Seller Service: [email protected]