iFLYTEK CO.,LTD (002230.SZ)

Shares in China's iFlyTek tumble after reports AI-powered device criticised Mao

Shares in Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) firm iFlytek plunged by 10% on Tuesday after social media users accused an AI-powered device it sells to Chinese students of generating an essay that criticised Chairman Mao Zedong. Users on platforms such as Baidu's Baijiahao shared photos of a person complaining to iFlyTek's customer service about how their child's device, a study assistant tablet, had described Mao as "narrow-minded" and "intolerant" for starting China's Cultural Revolution. A customer service representative on its website, asked about the incident, told Reuters that it had been dealt with.