Liu Yifeng knows very well that with the popularity of Xiaoai Audio, the concept of AI will definitely increase.
iFlytek's stock price will also rise. It is precisely because Xingyi Technology wants to invest that they proposed 2.2 billion. If it were another company, 2.5 billion would not be feasible.
There is no way, Xingyi Technology is developing rapidly, whoever invests, the stock price will double and skyrocket!
This temptation was too great, Liu Yifeng couldn't refuse at all, so he simply took a deep breath:
"President Song, we are willing to form a strategic cooperation with Xingyi Technology, and iFlytek is also willing to transfer 30% of the shares to Xingyi Technology. But at this price, 2 billion is too little..."
"Add another 100 million, 2.1 billion!" Song Sining said with a smile.
"make a deal!"
“A pleasure to work with!”
In case the night was too long, Song Sining and Liu Yifeng attended the board meeting in the afternoon.
In addition, we had already talked with iFlytek's board of directors for two days, and the communication was almost complete. Xingyi Technology added another 100 million, and most shareholders had no objections.
They also thought that with the investment of Xingyi Technology, iFlytek's stock price would skyrocket several times, and the shares in their hands would be more valuable by then!
Liu Yifeng looked around at the crowd: "If the board of directors votes and agrees to introduce Xingyi Technology Investment, please raise your hands."
"Whoa!"
"Whoa!"
Most people raised their hands.
"Okay, please put it down."
"If you object, please raise your hands."
This time, only three people raised their hands.
Liu Yifeng breathed a sigh of relief: "10:3, the vote passed!"
Subsequently, the two parties signed a contract and began to deal with follow-up matters.
Song Sining understood the principle of long nights and many dreams, so she immediately made a lightning push.
Xingyi Technology will acquire 30% of iFlytek's shares at a price of RMB 2.1 billion, becoming iFlytek's largest shareholder!
At four o'clock in the afternoon, JD.com Vice President Gong Shixian and his team personally dialed Liu Yifeng's phone number as soon as they landed in Feishi:
"Hello, Director Liu, I'm sorry to bother you. I am Gong Shixian, Vice President of JD.com. I have a strategic cooperation and I would like to discuss it with iFlytek."
"Hello, President Gong, I wonder what the cooperation is?" Liu Yifeng had a guess in his mind.
"It's like this. Xiaoai Audio is a global hit, and our smart home has a promising future. We at JD.com also intend to enter the smart home industry. Therefore, we want to join forces with iFlytek to establish a joint venture to jointly promote this matter! What do you think?"
Liu Yifeng's expression became complicated: "This proposal sounds very good, but whether it can be implemented will require a meeting of the board of directors to vote."
"Haha, Director Liu is joking. The board of directors' vote is not just a matter of your words?"
Gong Shixian knows very well that the so-called board of directors' votes are often just a formality.
For example, in JD.com, if the board of directors dares to disagree with what Big Qiangzi says?
Similarly, iFlytek was created by Liu Yifeng, and as long as he agrees to cooperate, the board of directors will not object.
Liu Yifeng sighed: "This moment is the other moment."
"What do you mean?" Gong Shixian was confused.
"In the past, iFlytek had the final say. Now that iFlytek has taken a stake in Xingyi Technology and has become a major shareholder, whether we can cooperate depends on their attitude. If they object, I'm afraid I won't either."
How to get enough support."
Liu Yifeng's meaning is very clear. If iFlytek accepted Xingyi Technology's investment, it will completely switch to Xingyi Technology and become Xingyi System.
Naturally, I have to follow Xingyi Technology and follow Xingyi Technology.
JD.com wants to build smart homes and compete with Xingyi Technology. How could iFlytek agree?
Not to mention that the major shareholder Xingyi Technology does not agree, other shareholders do not agree, and even Liu Yifeng himself does not agree.
"Xingyi Technology has become the major shareholder of iFlytek!"
"???"
Gong Shixian was confused: "When did it happen?"
"To be honest, as early as two days ago, the vice president of Xingyi Technology came to iFlytek. The agreement has been reached and the contract has been signed."
Gong Shixian's mouth twitched, and he understood the implication of Liu Yifeng's words, 'iFlytek and Xingyi Technology have signed a contract, JD.com should give up.'
"I understand, alas, goodbye!"
"goodbye."
Liu Yifeng hung up the phone, returned to the banquet hall, and picked up the wine glass: "President Song, I toast you this glass! I wish the cooperation between Xingyi Technology and iFlytek an invincible future!"
"That's for sure!" Song Sining also raised her glass: "Win-win cooperation and jointly building the world's most cutting-edge AI are the biggest original intentions of Director Wang's investment in iFlytek!"
Liu Yifeng was in a good mood, which was one of his original reasons for choosing Xingyi Technology.
Xingyi Technology really wants to invest heavily in developing AI.
Companies such as JD.com are different. AI is a bottomless pit. They don’t want to invest huge sums of money in research and development. They just want to pick the fruits and use iFlytek’s AI technology to empower JD.com’s smart homes!
One needs to invest huge sums of money to jointly develop AI and make progress together.
One just wants to pick fruits and use iFlytek to make money for himself!
How to choose, needless to say?
At iFlytek, a room full of senior executives exchanged glasses of wine and drank wine.
On the other hand, the JD.com team was like an eggplant beaten by frost, miserable.
"President, what should we do now?" The subordinate couldn't help but ask.
Another person sighed: "What else can we do? We have already introduced investment from Xingyi Technology. We have no chance. We can only return it to the chairman truthfully."
"Yes, that's all it can do."
Gong Shixian nodded, walked aside, and called the old director: "Chairman, we are late. Xingyi Technology has invested in iFlytek in advance and has become the largest shareholder!"
"..." Da Qiangzi was silent for a while and sighed: "I understand, come back and think of other ways."
"Yes!" Gong Shixian breathed a sigh of relief and was not scolded this time.
But the Great Qiangzi became melancholy and held another high-level meeting, slapping his cell phone directly on the table:
"The trouble is big. Xingyi Technology has invested in iFlytek, and the cooperation with iFlytek is hopeless."
"This..." Everyone was silent.
“Think about it, which other companies have this technology!”
"It's difficult. Currently, the only ones with this technology are Xiaoi Robot and iFlytek. One was fully acquired by Xingyi Technology, and the other was invested in shares. The other one is BAT, which has the strength to develop an AI voice interaction algorithm within a year.
But it’s not a good partner either.”
"Damn Xingyi Technology, it already has a Xiaoi robot, and it wants to invest in iFlytek. It's so greedy."
"It's not greed, it's strategic investment!"
"Yes, after Xingyi Technology takes a stake, iFlytek will not launch AI speakers with other companies."
"Wang Yi, this guy, is still flawless in his work!"
"Our Jingdong smart home, shouldn't it be over before it even begins?"
"Don't be so clumsy!"
"I'm just telling the truth!"
"Small businesses have been strategically acquired and invested by Xingyi Technology. We don't want to cooperate with BAT. What do you think we should do? JD.com invests its own funds to develop its own AI voice interaction technology?"
"If you do self-research, your investment will be bottomless, and when you will have output is a big problem!"
"And now that there is Xingyi Smart Home, BAT will probably take action next. Even if we JD.com makes it, will there still be a market?"
"It's so difficult!"
…
The entire conference room fell into silence. Da Qiangzi also frowned and muttered in his heart:
'It is unrealistic to develop self-developed AI voice interaction algorithms. JD.com does not have the strength or the funds!'
In order to build Jingdong Logistics, JD.com is losing money every year and is extremely poor.
‘There are also Xingyi Smart Home and the future BTA Smart Home. Is it possible that JD.com’s smart home really can’t be developed?’
Melancholy, extremely melancholy.
It’s okay if you can’t see how attractive the smart home market is. The problem is that you can see it but can’t eat it. That would be really uncomfortable!
Therefore, the Great Qiangzi did not want to give up.
At this time, a vice president suddenly said:
"We can't build Jingdong Smart Home by ourselves, so I'm afraid we can only cooperate with BAT or even Xingyi Technology!"
"No, this is not a good way. We at JD.com need to be independent and build our own smart home ecosystem. It is impossible to use BAT's smart home ecosystem."
"To open up the situation, we can, like iFlytek, introduce BAT's strategic investment and form strategic allies, so that we can advance and retreat together."
"Hey, this is a way. But BAT is too ambitious and can easily swallow us up."
"Besides, both BAT and BAT are engaged in e-commerce and are competitors of JD.com. They are not suitable for alliance!"
"iFlytek has no chance, and BAT is not good, so what do you think we should do? Find an alliance with Xingyi Technology?"
"Xingyi Technology forms an alliance? This idea is feasible."
"Yes, Xingyi Technology's appetite is smaller than that of BAT, and it currently has no plans to become a comprehensive e-commerce company. It is not impossible to introduce their investment."
"When the time comes, JD Smart Home will become Xingyi Smart Home? You really think about it!"
"What's the point? As long as Xingyi Technology does not engage in comprehensive e-commerce, it will not be a rival to JD.com. JD.com can introduce Xingyi Technology's strategic investment."
"Xingyi Technology is so powerful and has endless potential. Are you willing to make it a rival of JD.com or an ally of JD.com?"
"Join if you can't beat me? You guys really know how to think!"
…
Everyone spoke freely, and said whatever they wanted.
After hearing this, Da Qiangzi not only did not get angry, but began to carefully analyze the possibilities behind it.
After all, although some of what these people said were unreasonable, some were so sharp that even the Great Hadron had to pay great attention to them and make careful calculations:
First of all, JD Logistics is very cash-intensive and suffers losses every year, which makes JD extremely poor and facing financial pressure.
Secondly, JD.com has not yet gone public, but its development has encountered bottlenecks.
Not only are the old rivals Taobao, but also Tencent-based e-commerce companies, Baidu-based e-commerce companies, Amazon, Suning, Gome...
All in all, the future is not optimistic.
If JD.com wants to develop, it needs more traffic, so that JD.com can go one step further, show remarkable performance, and hit the market!
Regardless of whether it is financial pressure or traffic pressure, JD.com needs to introduce a strong investor and a strong strategic ally, so that JD.com can break out of the siege and hit the market!
However, there are not many powerful allies. Looking across the country, there are only BAT and the rising star Xingyi Technology.
As those people said, BAT is a comprehensive e-commerce company, and they are all enemies of JD. They want to swallow JD. There is no possibility of cooperation.
Even the cooperation between JD.com and Penguin in the previous life was a failure of Penguin's self-operated e-commerce. It completely changed its strategy, completely abandoned self-operated e-commerce, merged Tencent's Paipai e-commerce business into JD.com, invested in JD.com, and jointly dealt with Alibaba.
Based on this premise, the two parties reached a strategic cooperation.
And now Goose Factory, before facing the failure of e-commerce, is preparing to increase investment and launch self-operated e-commerce on Taobao. It is impossible to merge into JD.com!
On the contrary, Xingyi Technology does not currently engage in comprehensive e-commerce, but it happens to have a basis for cooperation.
Moreover, Xingyi Technology also wants to do Xingyi Logistics, and has also established some warehouses and logistics distribution systems across the country, as well as Ele.me riders to provide hourly delivery.
If Xingyi Technology becomes a shareholder in JD.com, the two parties cooperate strategically, and JD Logistics and Xingyi Logistics are connected, the pressure on JD Logistics will suddenly be relieved.
The simplest thing is that Xingyi Logistics does not need to waste time and effort to re-build so many warehouses and logistics systems. It can directly pay this part of the expenses to JD.com and use JD.com's logistics and warehousing system. In this way, Xingyi Logistics saves trouble and JD Logistics also saves money.
Everyone is happy.
Moreover, Xingyi Technology has almost 150 million Changchao users. It has a bright future and is exactly the traffic that JD.com lacks!
If the two parties cooperate, JD Logistics will provide convenience to Xingyi Technology, and Xingyi Technology will provide traffic support and capital investment to JD. It is a complete win-win situation.
As for JD smart home?
As long as Xingyi Technology does not engage in comprehensive e-commerce, JD.com will lose a powerful enemy. It will not be a problem for JD.com to give up on smart homes and even use its own platform influence to help Xingyi Technology develop Xingyi Smart Home.
For the watermelon, I lost the sesame seeds and it was totally cost-effective.
The more Da Qiangzi thought about it, the more he thought it was okay.
As long as Xingyi Technology does not engage in comprehensive e-commerce, everything will be fine!
With the traffic and strength of Xingyi Technology, coupled with Meiyou Mall, if it is a comprehensive e-commerce, JD.com will definitely have a strong enemy!
If you can't beat it, then join. Sometimes it may not be a great wisdom!
More importantly, seeking the skin of a tiger will bring more disaster than good.
Compared with the three BAT giants, Daqiangzi feels that Xingyi Technology is more friendly and will not annex JD.com.
He immediately said: "Okay, let's put the JD smart home issue on hold for now. The next focus is to contact Xingyi Technology to see if they have any plans to develop a comprehensive e-commerce business."
"If not, we can introduce Xingyi Technology and become the major shareholder of JD.com."
"But if there is, then forget it, sooner or later they will be our enemies!"
Everyone nodded: "Chairman is wise, this is the best."
"Now that BAT is engaged in e-commerce, they are all competitors of our JD.com. There is no need for another Xingyi Technology."
"Xingyi Technology is too powerful, and Wang Dong is too strong. We can be allies, but never enemies!"
"Xingyi Technology needs money, traffic, technology, and development. Only fools are willing to compete with them."
…
After hearing this, those who objected shut their mouths.
After all, Baidu has been miserably beaten by Xingyi Technology, let alone JD.com.
There's really no need to fight to the death.
Still able to work well together.
Da Qiangzi had a calculation in his mind: 'It seems that I have to find time to visit Director Wang and discuss the other party's plans and tone.'
'But I guess Director Wang will be unavailable during this time. Xingyi Technology has just bought a stake in iFlytek. I guess Director Wang has to go to iFlytek and will have to wait until this matter is finished.'
As Da Qiangzi expected, Song Sining and iFlytek negotiated all the agreements, and three days later, Wang Yi came to iFlytek in person to attend the final signing ceremony.
Many reporters came to the scene, and they all pointed their guns at Wang Yi and iFlytek.
Wang Yi and Liu Yifeng signed and shook hands, and the entire signing ceremony was officially concluded.
Next is a regular press conference to answer questions from reporters on site.
"Director Wang, you have already acquired Xiaoi Robot and have made great achievements in the field of AI. Why do you want to invest in iFlytek again?"
This question is more acute. Wang Yi can't answer "Is it a protective investment?"
But Wang Yi had also seen many scenes and smiled heartily:
"This is a good question. The reason why we acquired Xiaoi Robot is because of Xiaoi Robot's achievements and R&D capabilities in the field of AI. But the field of AI is a very grand, unlimited, and endless field. Any one
Enterprises that go on R&D alone make slow progress. For this reason, we have invested in iFlytek, which also has deep knowledge in the field of AI and strong R&D capabilities. Join forces!"
"Director Wang, why do some people say that your investment in iFlytek is a protective acquisition to prevent iFlytek from developing smart homes, delaying the sales of Xiaoai Audio, and affecting the development of Xingyi Smart Home?"
Wang Yi looked calm on the surface, but he knew in his heart that this guy was definitely arranged by a friend to cause trouble!
Sure enough, Baidu Li Yan watched the live broadcast and smiled: "These two reporters have arranged well and they will cooperate."
Before Wang Yi could explain, another reporter stood up:
"Dr. Wang, with this protective acquisition, do you want to monopolize smart home? Don't let other brands do it?"
This problem is even more acute.
Once the answer is not good, it will be a disaster for Xingyi Technology.
In Xia Kingdom, you can engage in any legitimate industry, but you cannot have a monopoly!
This is the bottom line.
Wang Yi waved his hand: "First, Xingyi Technology's investment in iFlytek is just for strong cooperation and better development of AI, not for a so-called protective acquisition."
"Second, Xingyi Smart Home has never thought of monopolizing smart home. Yes, smart home was created by Xingyi Technology, but it will not monopolize it. After all, there are a large group of companies that like nothing more than to follow suit. For example, Baidu has probably already started
Those who copied Xiaoai Audio are already following the trend of our Xingyi Zhijia."
Li Yan's mouth twitched: "..."
They were all muttering in their hearts: 'Mader, how did he know he was sent by me?'
‘In front of so many media, I bluntly said that Baidu is plagiarizing Xiaoai Audio!’
'Wang Yi, you are cruel!'
Li Yan was very angry, and the reporters who arranged for him didn't know what to say.
It was originally an attack on Wang Yi and the monopoly of Xingyi Technology. How did it become an attack on Baidu for plagiarism?
This boomerang is so abrupt!
Frankly speaking, Wang Yi didn't know at first that these reporters were arranged by Baidu. It was just a guess.
Now Wang Yi's strategy is, whoever attacks me, I will attack Baidu!
After all, it has the most conflicts with Baidu.
But seeing the sudden expressions on the faces of several reporters, Wang Yi had a suspicion in his mind. It turned out to be Baidu's arrangement!
As soon as you attack your master, your faces will look like mourning for a heir!
He continued decisively: "I bet that in one year, Baidu will launch a Baidu AI speaker that is a copycat of Xiaoai Audio. Maybe it will be called Xiaodu Audio."
Hearing this, the faces of several reporters arranged by Baidu became even more ugly.
Li Yan was even more angry: "Mad! He guessed the name of Xiaodu Audio correctly!"
"What should I do?"
If Xiaodu Audio is launched a year later, it will directly verify Wang Yi's prediction and Xiaodu Audio will become a joke. Even changing the name will not work.
Now Wang Yi is taking the lead. Unless Baidu gives up AI speakers, as long as it makes AI speakers, it will have to withstand Wang Yi's critical attack today!
It can be said that Wang Yi's words today are like the sword of Damocles, the kind that can travel through time and space. It can directly hit Baidu when Baidu releases AI speakers a year later!
But if Baidu gives up AI speakers, it will be equivalent to giving up the entire Baidu smart home ecosystem and the entire smart home market!
This loss is greater.
"Wang Yi, Wang Yi, you are so good. Not only did you break my monopoly attack, but you also counterattacked instantly, putting me in a dilemma. You're really good!"
But the media at the scene were all interested. There was a big melon in it, it was exciting!
Decisively start asking questions:
"Dr. Wang, why do you think Baidu will follow Feng Xiaoai Audio and Feng Xingyizhijia?"
"Because this is their usual style. I am not surprised that they chatted freely with Feng."
"Dr. Wang, why is it one year later? Since it is a copycat, won't Baidu come out with a copycat within half a year?"
"Copycats will not come out!" Wang Yi said decisively: "The hardware of Xiaoai Audio is simple, and the chip cannot be developed by Baidu, so it can be purchased. But the most difficult thing is the AI ​​algorithm, which is the voice interaction algorithm. These technical things, Baidu has at least a year
It takes time to catch up.”
"Dr. Wang, aren't you worried that Baidu's copycat version of Xiaodu Audio will seriously impact Xiaoai Audio?"
"Don't worry. In addition to algorithms, AI speakers also have content services. For example, music, our Xiaoai Audio is backed by Xingyi Music, and has a library of tens of millions of lossless genuine music. What does Baidu have? They acquired Qianqianjingting.
, only one million copyrights, right? These are still old-fashioned songs.”
"We spend hundreds of millions every year to buy copyrights so that Xingyi Music's genuine music library will always be the most complete and far ahead. Baidu has acquired Qianqianjingting for many years, so it's not willing to spend this money, right?"
"At that time, consumers who buy Xiaoai speakers can play whatever songs they want to listen to directly. Consumers who buy Xiaodu speakers and want to listen to whatever songs they want will have no copyright. How can they compare with Xiaoai speakers?"
"Dr. Wang, what do you mean, even if Baidu AI speakers come out as copycats, they won't have much of a future?"
Wang Yi sighed: "It's like this, AI sound is simple, but behind it is the competition between algorithms and the soft power of copyrighted music libraries. Baidu is far behind. In fact, it is not just Baidu, other BATs will most likely follow suit, as soon as one year.
It can take as slow as two years or three years. But unfortunately, they can only be imitators of Xiao Ai Audio, or even failed imitators."
"Xingyi Technology is not afraid of any challenges, even copycats and followers."
"Furthermore, Xingyi Technology and iFlytek are both leaders in the field of AI algorithms. If they join forces, even BAT will only follow us and eat dust."
"Even a year later, they can only catch up with the current Xiaoai Audio algorithm. But after a year of development, Xiaoai Audio's algorithm will become more powerful and more advanced. BAT will only fall behind.
, falling behind step by step!”
Chapter completed!