NBA China and Alibaba Cloud have announced a multi-year partnership to elevate the fan experience locally through AI and cloud technologies.

Through the collaboration, Alibaba Cloud becomes the Official Cloud Computing and AI Partner of NBA in the country.

NBA China will utilize Alibaba Cloud’s AI and cloud computing services to support a wide range of digital fan engagement initiatives.

This includes the development of a proprietary AI model for NBA China based on Alibaba’s Qwen series of foundational models.

The scope of the partnership encompasses even the NBA All-Star, NBA Playoffs, and NBA Finals.

Even Quark and the Tongyi App, which are Alibaba’s consumer-facing AI applications, will also become Official Marketing Partners of NBA China.

Moreover, NBA China will leverage Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure to host its digital destinations. These include the NBA App, the league’s official website in China, and NBA China mini-programs.

In addition, Alibaba Cloud will debut a Real-Time 360 Replay Solution at The NBA China Games 2025. This shall provide fans with AI-powered visual enhancements to replay highlights.

This year’s NBA China Games will likewise showcase innovative and interactive  experiences powered by Alibaba Cloud’s AI capabilities.

At NBA House, fans can create personalized NBA-themed avatars and generate iconic commentary clips in a voice replicated from a sample of their own.

Lastly, as part of the multi-year deal, NBA China will also utilize Alibaba Cloud’s intelligent analytical tools to generate data-driven insights. This shall help enhance the league’s fan engagement efforts locally.

A Minecraft Movie was decidedly not for me. However, there’s no denying how much the movie was so effective for younger fans and gamers who grew up with Minecraft. It’s one of the highest-grossing movies this year. Even if I didn’t personally like it, I still consider it a success for videogame adaptations. Now, recognizing the film’s success, Warner Bros. has signed off on a sequel to Jack Black’s blocky caper, as confirmed by Variety.

It’s a mystery where the sequel will take players. Not to spoil anything, but the original movie did end with virtually loose ends neatly tied into a bow. Then again, Minecraft is an endless well of content. Where one story ends, another can just as easily open up in its place. As a game, it’s a completely open sandbox where nothing is limited.

However, to establish continuity, the sequel is reportedly tapping the talents of director Jared Hess once again. Chris Galleta might also come back to write the screenplay.

Interestingly, Jack Black is not confirmed yet. But given how much of a star he was as Steve, it’s hard to imagine a sequel without his energy, so it’s likely that he’s coming back. On a more positive note, Jason Momoa, who co-starred as Garrett Garrison, is expected to co-produce the sequel.

Warner Bros. has currently scheduled the sequel’s premiere on July 23, 2027.

SEE ALSO: Now Playing: A Minecraft Movie

OpenAI has officially launched ChatGPT Go in 16 Asian countries, including the Philippines. This is the most cost-friendly subscription option yet at just PhP 300 (~ US$ 5.15).

This development gives users in the serviced regions greater access to ChatGPT’s advanced capabilities at a more affordable price.

To get started, simply visit chat.openai.com or download the ChatGPT mobile app, then create an account and select ChatGPT Go as your plan. The payment process is simple.

On the other hand, those who already have accounts may simply upgrade to Go.

The launch comes amid strong growth adoption of OpenAI’s tools in the Philippines. In fact, the country ranks among the top five countries for weekly ChatGPT users in Asia.

In addition, the top five use cases locally are tutoring, editing, personal writing, “how to” advice, and creative ideation.

At PhP 300 a month, ChatGPT Go subscribers will gain access to ChatGPT’s most popular features, including higher message limits, image generation, file uploads, and memory.

These are all powered by GPT-5, OpenAI’s most-advanced model.

Specifically, here’s the perks for the Go plan compared to free:

• 10x higher message limits
• 10x more image generations per day
• 10x more file or image uploads per day
• 2x longer memory for personalized responses

ChatGPT Go will join existing subscription options Plus (PhP 1,100) and Pro (PhP 9,900).

Plus is for subscribers who need more advanced thinking models and features like deep research, agent mode, and Sora video creation.

Meanwhile, Pro is for professionals, researchers, or organizations who need enterprise-grade scale, pro-level reasoning, and the most advanced features.

16 countries in Asia get ChatGPT Go

The Go rollout builds on strong momentum for cost-friendly subscriptions in the region.

Since launching first in India, the number of paid subscribers has more than doubled in a month.

Other countries to get the Go tier subscription are:

• Afghanistan
• India
• Myanmar
• Sri Lanka
• Bangladesh
• Indonesia
• Nepal
• Thailand
• Bhutan
• Laos
• Pakistan
• Timor-Leste (East Timor)
• Brunei Darussalam
• Malaysia
• Vietnam
• Cambodia
• Maldives