Google’s search engine is blocked in China. But inside the Beijing offices of smartwatch maker Mobvoi Inc., the internet giant looms large.
Google’s search engine is blocked in China. But inside the Beijing offices of smartwatch maker Mobvoi Inc., the internet giant looms large.
Mobvoi relies on Google’s software to power its line of watches and smart speakers. Its engineers build apps using TensorFlow, Google’s free set of development tools for artificial intelligence. Mobvoi’s sales team targets users outside of mainland China by buying Google ads. “It’s not just software, it’s an ecosystem,” Zhifei Li, Mobvoi’s chief executive, said of Google — also a minority investor in his startup.
