1999
iFlytek founded
Part Chinese government-owned information technology created, headquartered in Hefei, China. It makes voice recognition software and other voice-based tech.
2015
iFlytek outlines Xinjiang mission
An iFlytek official says the company’s goal in Xinjiang is to "promote the adoption of the national common language".
2017
NGO raises concerns about iFlytek
Human Rights Watch writes an open letter to iFlytek outlining its concerns about the company's role in collecting voice samples of Uyghurs. News media report the concerns.
2017
iFlytek robots teaching Uyghur children
A Chinese education news website reports on two IFlytek robots known as ‘the brothers’ given to a rural kindergarten in Xinjiang to teach Uyghur children Mandarin.
2018
iFlytek made “AI champion”
The Chinese government makes IFlytek one of five official AI champions, giving it a favourable regulatory status which analysts say means it has no obstacles - for instance civil liberties concerns - to developing its technology.
2018
iFlytek-MIT deal
Flytek signs five-year agreement with America’s MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
16 October
2018
NZ Government becomes shareholder in Rocos Global
The Government takes a stake in robotics start-up company Rocos Global through the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund.
March
2019
Icehouse Ventures-iFlytek partnership
Icehouse Ventures, the investment arm of New Zealand business incubator The Icehouse, signs a partnership with iFlytek. CEO Andrew Hamilton says he’s unaware of the allegations involving surveillance of Uyghurs, but that he will “watch for any developments”.
June
2019
Testimony to US senate committee
iFlytek features in Human Rights Watch testimony to a US senate committee about human rights violations in China.
August
2019
Rocos-IFlytek partnership
Auckland-based robot operations company Rocos Global signs a partnership deal with iFlytek, which iFlytek says means "the two sides will carry out all-round cooperation". The agreement will see Rocos managing delivery robots at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Rocos appears happy to promote the relationship.
October
2019
US puts iFlytek on trade blacklist
The US Commerce Department puts iFlytek on its “Entity List”, which restricts it from doing business with American firms, saying “these entities have been implicated in human rights violations” against minority Muslim groups in Xinjiang.
February
2020
MIT cuts ties
Two years into the “research collaboration”, MIT reportedly terminates the relationship.
February
2020
iFlytek appears on forced labour database
iFlytek named by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute as one of 82 foreign and Chinese companies potentially or indirectly benefiting from the use of forced Uyghur labour.
March
2020
Government increases shareholding in Rocos
The shareholding of the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund (now known as NZGCP, owner of Aspire NZ Seed Fund) is tripled.
August
2020
Confirmation Rocos knows of issues with IFlytek
CEO David Inggs tells a Stuff journalist that Rocos’ partnership with iFlytek is for commercial robots only and the platform is not “used for any military or police applications”.
December
2020
Stuff Circuit approaches Rocos Global
Stuff Circuit asks Rocos Global about its work in China.
19 January
2021
Stuff Circuit request
Stuff Circuit asks for an interview with Rocos CEO David Inggs.
19 January
2021
Stuff Circuit approaches The Icehouse
Stuff Circuit asks for an interview with The Icehouse over the partnership with iFlytek. Request declined. Stuff Circuit reiterates request for interview.
January 22
2021
Rocos declines
Rocos’ Chief Marketing Officer emails to say “we will respectfully decline your request for an interview... As Rocos has no involvement”.
2 February
2021
Stuff Circuit follows up with The Icehouse
The Icehouse CEO Gavin Lennox replies by phone; Stuff Circuit outlines the concerns about iFlytek. He says he will look into it.
3 February
2021
Stuff Circuit calls Rocos
Stuff Circuit phones Rocos CEO David Inggs to ask what Rocos “has no involvement” in. He asks us to put questions in an email, which we do, seeking clarification of previous statements that by Rocos can ringfence its technology for commercial purposes only.
4 February
2021
Icehouse responds
Icehouse Ventures emails Stuff Circuit to say its board has requested an investigation into the relationship with IFlytek.
5 February
2021
Rocos ends partnership with iFlytek
Rocos Chief Marketing Officer emails Stuff Circuit to say “Rocos is no longer involved in any projects with iFlytek.”
February
2021
Publicity shy
Rocos appears to have deleted its tweet celebrating its role with iFlytek at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
16 March
2021
Stuff Circuit publishes Deleted
Stuff Circuit investigation published outlining the government’s financial links to iFlytek through Rocos and Icehouse Ventures.
17 March
2021
Initial Government response
Finance Minister Grant Robertson wants answers over links to iFlytek.
17 March
2021
Third company link
Stuff Circuit reveals third govt-backed company partnered with iFlytek.
15 April
2021
Icehouse breaks up with iFlytek
Icehouse Ventures review leads to cancellation of relationship with iFlytek.
1999
iFlytek founded
Part Chinese government-owned information technology created, headquartered in Hefei, China. It makes voice recognition software and other voice-based tech.
2015
iFlytek outlines Xinjiang mission
An iFlytek official says the company’s goal in Xinjiang is to "promote the adoption of the national common language".
2017
NGO raises concerns about iFlytek
Human Rights Watch writes an open letter to iFlytek outlining its concerns about the company's role in collecting voice samples of Uyghurs. News media report the concerns.
2017
iFlytek robots teaching Uyghur children
A Chinese education news website reports on two IFlytek robots known as ‘the brothers’ given to a rural kindergarten in Xinjiang to teach Uyghur children Mandarin.
2018
iFlytek made “AI champion”
The Chinese government makes IFlytek one of five official AI champions, giving it a favourable regulatory status which analysts say means it has no obstacles - for instance civil liberties concerns - to developing its technology.
2018
iFlytek-MIT deal
Flytek signs five-year agreement with America’s MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
16 October
2018
NZ Government becomes shareholder in Rocos Global
The Government takes a stake in robotics start-up company Rocos Global through the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund.
March
2019
Icehouse Ventures-iFlytek partnership
Icehouse Ventures, the investment arm of New Zealand business incubator The Icehouse, signs a partnership with iFlytek. CEO Andrew Hamilton says he’s unaware of the allegations involving surveillance of Uyghurs, but that he will “watch for any developments”.
June
2019
Testimony to US senate committee
iFlytek features in Human Rights Watch testimony to a US senate committee about human rights violations in China.
August
2019
Rocos-IFlytek partnership
Auckland-based robot operations company Rocos Global signs a partnership deal with iFlytek, which iFlytek says means "the two sides will carry out all-round cooperation". The agreement will see Rocos managing delivery robots at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Rocos appears happy to promote the relationship.
October
2019
US puts iFlytek on trade blacklist
The US Commerce Department puts iFlytek on its “Entity List”, which restricts it from doing business with American firms, saying “these entities have been implicated in human rights violations” against minority Muslim groups in Xinjiang.
February
2020
MIT cuts ties
Two years into the “research collaboration”, MIT reportedly terminates the relationship.
February
2020
iFlytek appears on forced labour database
iFlytek named by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute as one of 82 foreign and Chinese companies potentially or indirectly benefiting from the use of forced Uyghur labour.
March
2020
Government increases shareholding in Rocos
The shareholding of the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund (now known as NZGCP, owner of Aspire NZ Seed Fund) is tripled.
August
2020
Confirmation Rocos knows of issues with IFlytek
CEO David Inggs tells a Stuff journalist that Rocos’ partnership with iFlytek is for commercial robots only and the platform is not “used for any military or police applications”.
December
2020
Stuff Circuit approaches Rocos Global
Stuff Circuit asks Rocos Global about its work in China.
19 January
2021
Stuff Circuit request
Stuff Circuit asks for an interview with Rocos CEO David Inggs.
19 January
2021
Stuff Circuit approaches The Icehouse
Stuff Circuit asks for an interview with The Icehouse over the partnership with iFlytek. Request declined. Stuff Circuit reiterates request for interview.
January 22
2021
Rocos declines
Rocos’ Chief Marketing Officer emails to say “we will respectfully decline your request for an interview... As Rocos has no involvement”.
2 February
2021
Stuff Circuit follows up with The Icehouse
The Icehouse CEO Gavin Lennox replies by phone; Stuff Circuit outlines the concerns about iFlytek. He says he will look into it.
3 February
2021
Stuff Circuit calls Rocos
Stuff Circuit phones Rocos CEO David Inggs to ask what Rocos “has no involvement” in. He asks us to put questions in an email, which we do, seeking clarification of previous statements that by Rocos can ringfence its technology for commercial purposes only.
4 February
2021
Icehouse responds
Icehouse Ventures emails Stuff Circuit to say its board has requested an investigation into the relationship with IFlytek.
5 February
2021
Rocos ends partnership with iFlytek
Rocos Chief Marketing Officer emails Stuff Circuit to say “Rocos is no longer involved in any projects with iFlytek.”
February
2021
Publicity shy
Rocos appears to have deleted its tweet celebrating its role with iFlytek at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
16 March
2021
Stuff Circuit publishes Deleted
Stuff Circuit investigation published outlining the government’s financial links to iFlytek through Rocos and Icehouse Ventures.
17 March
2021
Initial Government response
Finance Minister Grant Robertson wants answers over links to iFlytek.
17 March
2021
Third company link
Stuff Circuit reveals third govt-backed company partnered with iFlytek.
15 April
2021
Icehouse breaks up with iFlytek
Icehouse Ventures review leads to cancellation of relationship with iFlytek.
The Stuff Circuit documentary Deleted investigates New Zealand business and political links to human rights abuses in China, on stuff.co.nz
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