US Tech Ride the Chinese Dragon

US tech firms investing in China AI start-ups

Globalism seems inevitable based on direction of tech investment

Are we competing in AI with China and foreign tech companies or collaborating? Based on all the cross-border tech investment going on, it appears that there is much more collaboration. Japan's Softbank recently announced a fund of nearly a trillion dollars to go to tech and AI investment. A large percentage of that will go to many US companies.

Now two big US tech companies are joining forces with Chinese firms to carve out a bigger piece of the technology pie. Intel and Qualcomm both have announced new deals. Intel is investing $100 million in Chinese AI and robotics company Horizon Robotics, while mobile device chipmaker Qualcomm announced it will be collaborating with Chinese AI developer SenseTime.

SenseTime is just coming off a massive round of investment valued at $450 million that so far has been the largest transaction in AI history.

“Qualcomm has been conducting fundamental research in AI over a decade,” said Kressin. “In fact, many devices shipping today using our Snapdragon mobile platforms already utilise on-device AI.”

He said Qualcomm expected its collaboration with SenseTime “to further accelerate new and exciting capabilities of on-device AI for millions of consumers using mobile devices”.

Qualcomm is currently focused on optimising its Snapdragon mobile platform for AI in the areas of computer vision and natural language processing for smartphones, devices for the so-called internet of things and the automotive sector.From South China Morning Post

Qualcomm is also joining research efforts with South Korea's LG in the autonomous vehicle segment.

Their joint research will focus on developing the fifth-generation wireless technology known as 5G, which could deliver data at a much faster speed than the current wireless technology and is seen as crucial for autonomous vehicles. They will also research other wireless technologies needed for the safety of connected cars, LG said in a statement. From Gadgets 360

Intel to broaden its AI investment globally

While Qualcomm and SenseTime is more of a strategic collaboration, the Intel deal is a lead investment opportunity with $100 million going to the Chinese robotics firm. 

Intel Capital said it plans to invest in more Chinese technology firms.
“China has been and will continue being an important market for Intel Capital,” the company said.

“We are very much focusing on looking for and investing in technologies that help China build and develop its data economy, including cloud, big data, data analytics, AI, autonomous driving and so on.”

Intel Capital officials also said during the webcast it has made new investments recently in 15 global tech firms, pushing its total commitment to more than US$566 million this year.

Ten of those 15 are in the US – eight in California, with one each in New York and Portland, Oregon. The others include two Tel Aviv-based start-ups, and one Canadian one Japanese.
“The world is undergoing a data explosion,” said Wendell Brooks, Intel’s senior vice-president and president of Intel Capital.From South China Morning Post