China blocks $5.4 billion SoftBank robot deal, flexing control over AI tech
China blocks $5.4 billion SoftBank robot deal, flexing control over AI tech
Chinese regulators have blocked SoftBank's proposed $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB's robotics unit, citing national security concerns and a desire to retain control over advanced physical AI technologies within China.
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China blocks $5.4 billion SoftBank robot deal, flexing control over AI tech
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c war of words with China over Taiwan. Tokyo-based SoftBank is a major shareholder of OpenAI, having invested some $64.6 billion for a stake of 13% as of Oct. 1. This week OpenAI, the U.S. company behind ChatGPT, said it made advances in using its AI models to engineer real-world physical products and said it wanted to work with partners in manufacturing. Earlier this year, China’s National Development and Reform Com
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mission began reviewing SoftBank’s acquisition on foreign investment grounds. In 2022, ABB opened a $150 million robotics mega-factory in Shanghai with support from local authorities. ABB said the facility would help Chinese customers develop more locally made products. As of early 2025, ABB’s robotics division had several thousand employees in China. Chinese regulators have scotched big tech deals in the past, inclu
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ding a $44 billion acquisition of Dutch chip maker NXP Semiconductors that Qualcomm scrapped in 2018 after meeting resistance from Beijing. Write to Raffaele Huang at [email protected]
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China has blocked SoftBank’s $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB’s robotics unit, highlighting Beijing’s determination to lock in its edge in physical artificial intelligence and protect high-value technology from leaking to foreign rivals. Zurich-based ABB said Thursday that SoftBank told it about the decision by a Chinese government office that reviews foreign investment. SoftBank declined to comment. SoftBank announce
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d the deal with ABB in October 2025, and the companies initially said they expected it to close this year. China is ABB’s largest market for its robotics business, leaving the deal subject to Beijing’s approval. Beijing’s rejection is a blow to SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son’s ambitions of building an AI and robotics empire. Earlier this year, the company had explored a possible initial public offering of a unit focu
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Source：Industrial robotics — News discovery · msn.com