AI, Nuclear Energy & Future Trends

Asia’s AI Evolution: Beyond the Hype, Jobs, and a Shifting Global Landscape

As 2025 approaches, the focus on an “AI race” obscures a more fundamental question: what does artificial intelligence mean for everyday people? Nikkei Asia is investigating this question through a series examining AI’s impact on jobs, supply chains, and society, offering a nuanced perspective often missing in Western discussions.

The conversation shifted for this reporter after a recent trip from the AI hub of Silicon Valley to New York City to moderate a panel. The contrast – from the Bay Area’s mild climate to a New York winter – underscored the benefits of the tech-focused relocation from the east Coast. But the panel itself, focused on the role of Southeast Asian nations in the global AI landscape, proved particularly insightful.A key question emerged from the audience: What is the end game of AI?

The Unexpected Resilience of Asian Job Markets

Conventional wisdom suggested that jobs traditionally outsourced to Asia – those characterized by low skill, low pay, and ease of standardization – would be the first casualties of AI-driven automation. After all, Silicon Valley alone has experienced over 100,000 tech layoffs this year. Though, the reality, as reported by Sayan Chakraborty and Yifan Yu of Nikkei Asia, is strikingly diffrent.

Across much of Asia, demand is surging for workers involved in the crucial stages of AI development: training, testing, and deployment. this means that, for now, artificial intelligence is proving to be a net positive for job creation in countries like India and the Philippines. Though, the long-term sustainability of this trend remains an open question.

This boom is occurring alongside a healthy dose of skepticism regarding AI’s actual capabilities. Social media platforms like Reddit and Blind are rife with jokes suggesting “AI” really stands for “actually Indians,” reflecting the importent role Indian talent plays in the field. The recent collapses of AI start-ups builder.ai and Nate, amid accusations of “AI washing,” further fuel these doubts.

China’s Push for AI Self-Sufficiency

Beijing is taking concrete steps to reduce its reliance on US-made hardware, recently adding domestically produced artificial intelligence chips to its official procurement list. This move, reported by the Financial Times’ Zijing Wu, precedes a potential easing of export controls by the US, allowing Nvidia to sell its advanced H200 chips to “approved customers” in China.

The inclusion of chips from Huawei and Cambricon on the government-approved supplier list is expected to generate billions in sales for local chipmakers. This decision signals Beijing’s determination to foster a self-sufficient AI ecosystem, even as it navigates a complex relationship with US technology exports.

The Rise of Humanoid Robots and a Manufacturing Lead

The humanoid robot market is poised for explosive growth. Estimates from Goldman Sachs and BofA global Research project shipments to reach 18,000 units by 2027, soaring to 130,000 by 2030. while Boston Dynamics remains a prominent player, Asian companies are rapidly gaining ground.

Nikkei Asia’s Takashi Mochizuki reports that Japan’s SoftBank Robotics is preparing to unveil a new humanoid robot in the coming months, while Chinese companies like Figure AI and Unitree Robotics are attracting significant investment. This competition is not limited to hardware; asian manufacturers are also making strides in the software and AI algorithms that power these robots.

Further reading

• Chinese phonemakers seize on Apple’s AI struggles (FT)
• Chinese challenger to Nvidia surges 425% in market debut (FT)

techAsia is coordinated by Nikkei Asia’s Katherine Creel in Tokyo,with assistance from the FT tech desk in London. Sign up here at Nikkei Asia to receive #techAsia each week. The editorial team can be reached at [email protected].