I’m in China on an AI delegation trip, touring the companies and technology shaping where this stuff is heading. Each day I’m sharing what I see. Here’s day one.
The first thing we saw getting off the plane was a huge AI x Olympics banner right in the centre of the terminal. It set the tone for the entire trip.
Robots out in public
At the Summer Palace there was an autonomous robot drink station. You pay through Alipay with a QR code and a robot grabs the drink for you.
Back at the hotel, a robot takes deliveries from reception up to your room. Inside each room there’s a version of Siri that lets you control the TV, air conditioning, blinds and lights, all with your voice.
Everything is electric, everything says “AI”
The majority of vehicles on the road here in Beijing seem to be EVs, and most aren’t older than five years.
Walking around, the word “AI” jumps out between the Chinese characters. It’s on buildings, banners, ads and even cars for all sorts of different companies.
Yesterday was sightseeing and today we start our company visits, so I’m super excited. Video updates are on my Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, so follow along.
This is part of my AI in China series. Next up: Day 2 - Agentic Hospitals, Banking and Meeting the NZ Ambassador.
