AI brewing fresh global growth for Chinese tech

GBA plays major role

Technological breakthroughs and business model innovation among Chinese companies in the AI hardware sector — especially those in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area — are increasingly complementing traditional cost advantages and becoming a key source of competitiveness for products entering markets abroad.

In the first six months, Guangdong's total import and export volume surpassed 5 trillion yuan ($750 billion) for the first time in a first-half period, said the Guangdong Sub-administration of the General Administration of Customs.

During the period, the province's exports of drones, high-end machine tools and industrial robots surged by 24.6 percent, 20.1 percent and 16.8 percent year-on-year, respectively.

In Shenzhen, a pioneering city in China's reform and opening-up, trade in AI-related products reached 1.28 trillion yuan in the first half, growing by 50.1 percent year-on-year.

For RobotAnno (Shenzhen) Co Ltd, a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research and development, production, sales and service of desktop robotic arms and AI-powered unmanned retail solutions, technological breakthroughs are key to expanding overseas.

The company's self-developed coffee machine can make a latte with intricate foam art in just 90 seconds as its robotic arm moves with precision.

Additionally, its ice cream robot can produce a serving in just 30 seconds, while its cocktail-making robot can mix drinks on demand.

"From the precision manufacturing of the robotic arm itself to the independent development of the control system and the interaction between software and the entire machine module, everything is developed in-house by our researchers," said Wang Rong, marketing director of RobotAnno.

The latte art coffee robot has become a popular commodity, with its robotic arm achieving a repeat positioning accuracy of 0.03 millimeters, Wang said, adding that "we invited professional latte artists to assist in the design and development process".

The company's R&D team used over 100 cameras to capture the artists' movements as they prepared latte art, with the footage then used for 3D modeling and machine learning.

According to the company, capturing the latte artists' movements allowed researchers to translate precise wrist movements into detailed coordinates that were integrated into the robotic arm system, enabling it to reproduce professional latte-art techniques with a high degree of consistency and accuracy.

"Our products run 24 hours a day. They might not recover their costs if they fail to meet operational demands," said Wang.

To address the challenge of ensuring reliability and commercial viability, the company did not rush into large-scale distribution of its products in domestic and overseas markets, she added.

Instead, it deployed its coffee robots in various real-world environments, testing peak-hour efficiency in office buildings, stability at tourist attractions and reliability under the stringent operating conditions of airports.

"Through rigorous testing and data-driven refinements in these scenarios, we have achieved full-stack independent development from robotic arms to control systems and entire machines, cutting unit costs to between one-quarter and one-third of those of our competitors," Wang said.

The company's dual-track model, which integrates its own instant retail brand and chain stores, has proven successful, with products sold in over 80 countries and the company reporting that its business doubled in 2025.

"By utilizing a global after-sales team working in shifts to manage time zone differences, we have been able to provide stable cross-border after-sales support," she said.

The company entered foreign markets in 2017 by listing its products on major international e-commerce platforms.

"At that time, overseas customers soon began reaching out to us through our distributors," said Wang.

Since then, the company has gradually expanded to online channels such as Alibaba.com and Amazon, while actively participating in international exhibitions.

Currently, approximately 60 percent of the company's revenue comes from overseas markets, with Europe and North America as its primary markets.

"Demand is also beginning to rise in emerging markets in South America, South Africa and Russia," said Wang, adding that in terms of channel expansion, the company has collaborated with local distributors and agents to establish an after-sales network and plans to set up subsidiaries and technical teams in Europe and North America.

The Shenzhen-based company will showcase its full range of products at the Global Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing and Electronics Expo, or AIE Expo, which will be held from Dec 3 to 5 in Guangdong province's Zhuhai as well as Macao.

Positioned by organizers as a premier launch platform for China's intelligent manufacturing, the expo will focus on the entire AI industry chain and is expected to attract over 1,000 exhibitors and 50,000 professional visitors.

"We hope the expo will bring more overseas clients, allowing them to experience the manufacturing strengths of the GBA and helping us broaden our reach in international markets," she said.