China's robots and AI take center stage at Canton Fair, sparking global interest

At the Canton Fair, China is demonstrating its growing prowess in robotics and AI, signaling a significant shift in global manufacturing and labor markets. The exhibition highlights how Chinese innovation is not only meeting domestic needs but is also becoming a major export, with machines designed for dangerous, repetitive, and labor-intensive tasks finding eager buyers worldwide.

Buyers from Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America are drawn to these advanced automation solutions. They see them as crucial tools to combat rising labor costs, persistent shortages, and the inherent risks in many industries. This adoption reflects a global demand for efficiency and safety, with China positioning itself as a key supplier.

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Robotics will significantly reshape labour markets - but not through simple, across the board job destruction.

The surge in China's industrial robot exports, making it a net exporter for the first time, underscores its ambition to lead in this technological frontier. While the International Federation of Robotics notes China's dominance in the domestic market, this export growth signifies a new era of technological influence.

This development is particularly noteworthy from a Chinese perspective. It showcases the nation's rapid technological advancement and its ability to compete on the global stage not just as a manufacturer, but as an innovator. The narrative is shifting from 'Made in China' to 'Innovated in China,' particularly in high-tech sectors like AI and robotics. This export boom is a testament to China's strategic investments in technology and its vision for a future shaped by automation, a vision that is now being shared, and adopted, across the globe.

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Five to 10 years ago, around 70 per cent of our export business came from Europe and the US - now it has dropped to about 50 per cent.