China’s AI Surge: Funding Boom, Chip Limits, Real Uses (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: Remember DeepSeek, the Chinese startup that shocked the world in early 2025 with a powerful AI model that seemed to have come out of nowhere? That ushered in a massive AI boom in China. Over the last few months, six Chinese AI and chip firms have raised more than $3 billion US through IPOs here in Hong Kong. But is this all just hype? Analysts tell me when it comes to the most advanced AI models, China still lags behind the US. Some top Chinese AI developers have even said that the gap may be widening for two reasons, chips and capital. US export controls bar Chinese companies from getting cutting-edge chips, and they don't have as much money as American tech giants. But China is still very much in the race. The AI frenzy over the past year shows just how fast Chinese companies can advance under pressure. Beijing has also made AI a top national priority. Showering companies with favorable policy and tens of billions of dollars worth of investments. And there are signs that Chinese AI may be winging in one key area, real-life applications. From ordering groceries on your behalf to assembling cars. And humanoid robots are being developed with the goal of taking over factory floor and household duties. All scenarios that could ultimately determine the future of the AI race.