{
  "id": 14363361,
  "title": "Chinese companies seek Gulf partnerships as physical AI takes shape",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/chinese-companies-seek-gulf-partnerships-as-physical-ai-takes-shape",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-14T03:44:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/future/technology/2026/10/14/chinese-companies-seek-gulf-partnerships-as-physical-ai-takes-shape/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chinese robotics firms are eyeing the Gulf region as a potential manufacturing hub for cutting-edge AI-powered machinery. Capital, energy resources, and industrial ambitions in the Gulf present opportunities for partnerships, according to Beijing-based LinkerBot, a company delving into potential collaborations. The UAE is one of the entities under consideration, with the company exploring deals involving advanced robotics components supplied by Chinese firms and capital-intensive assembly and automated production by the UAE. This approach could enable Gulf nations to directly participate in crafting advanced robots, rather than merely procuring the technology. LinkerBot specializes in robotic hands capable of grasping and manipulating objects, and has branched out into reducers and micromotors that govern robotic motion. The proposed collaboration aligns with a wider pattern of Asian companies seeking manufacturing partners abroad, while Gulf economies leverage their capital, energy, and infrastructure to foster higher-value industries. In September, Chinese electric and extended-range vehicle maker ROX Motor launched production in Abu Dhabi. As part of its Operation 300bn strategy, the UAE aims to elevate the industrial sector's contribution to GDP to Dh300 billion by 2031, with industrial exports surging 25% last year to Dh262 billion. The UAE is also investing in automation to enhance manufacturing competitiveness. Achieving successful partnerships will necessitate investment agreements, viable production strategies, and sustained demand for AI-driven machines. The forthcoming wave of AI, dubbed \"physical AI,\" is poised to revolutionize the industry. Chinese AI developers such as DeepSeek, Zhipu AI, and Moonshot AI are gaining traction against their US counterparts, offering high-performance models at lower costs. Physical AI integrates advanced AI models with robotics, enabling machines to perceive their surroundings, make decisions, and execute tasks typically requiring human intervention. Compared to traditional industrial robots with repetitive functions, the goal is to create adaptable machines capable of tackling diverse situations. Possible applications span robotic hands managing unconventional objects, autonomous units operating on production lines, and robots aiding hospital patients. Advances in computing power and AI models are rendering these capabilities increasingly attainable. LinkerBot is developing robotic hands equipped with movement functions that could eventually be integrated with sophisticated AI for a broader spectrum of tasks. \"We're heading towards skill stores akin to app stores,\" Mr Su stated. China's manufacturing prowess may afford its companies an edge as the technology transitions to commercial production. In 2024, China installed approximately 295,000 industrial robots, constituting 54% of global installations, according to the International Federation of Robotics. The figures pertain to factory robots, not humanoid counterparts, but underscore the magnitude of China's industrial automation landscape and supporting supply chains. SK hynix held a 50% share of the global high-bandwidth memory market by revenue in Q2 2026, while Samsung claimed 33%, based on Counterpoint Research data reported by Yonhap news agency. Beyond robotics, physical AI opens up myriad investment prospects. Joseph Zeng, founder and chief investment officer of Hong Kong-based Arcadia Fund Management Group, highlighted high-bandwidth memory, optical transceivers, and robotics components as sectors poised to benefit from escalating investment. Healthcare presents another promising market. During a recent trip to Suzhou, near Shanghai, Mr Zeng encountered a firm developing a voice-controlled robot to assist bedridden patients with repositioning and personal care. Mr Su envisions humanoid robots eventually aiding elderly and children in smaller communities grappling with shrinking populations and limited access to healthcare services. Although fully autonomous, general-purpose robots are still under development, their potential to alleviate labor shortages, curtail care expenses, and extend vital services to underserved populations underscores the societal and economic implications.",
  "summary": "Chinese robotics companies are looking to the Gulf as a possible manufacturing centre for the next generation of AI-powered machines, as the region's capital, energy resources and industrial ambitions create opportunities for partnerships. Beijing-based robotics company LinkerBot is among those exploring opportunities in the UAE, where it is in talks with major institutions on potential…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Chinese companies seek Gulf partnerships as physical AI takes shape",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/chinese-companies-seek-gulf-partnerships-as-physical-ai-takes-shape-14364854",
        "published": "2026-10-14T03:44:57.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}