Going East: What We Learned on Our China AI Discovery Tour in Nov. 2025

10 days. 4 cities. 75 bubble teas. 0 robots adopted (yet).

Our latest China AI Discovery Tour took us through Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Across four cities, one impression stood above all others: the speed of execution is unmatched.

AI is no longer treated as an isolated technology or future experiment. It is becoming part of everyday life. It is integrated into search, shopping, customer service, logistics, mobility, and physical retail. We encountered AI-powered assistants, digital colleagues, autonomous delivery solutions, and robots in environments ranging from trade fairs to restaurants and stores.

The trip also revealed a market in transition. China’s major technology platforms are entering a new phase of competition, with AI, e-commerce, and data increasingly converging. At the same time, Chinese companies are expanding internationally through exports, acquisitions, partnerships, and localized brands.

But technology was only one side of the experience. A new generation of consumer brands, which are symbolized by China’s booming bubble tea culture, is combining strong local identity, digital-first customer journeys, and impressive operational speed. “Made in China” is increasingly communicated with confidence and pride.

Our key takeaway: Europe should not simply copy China’s approach. But we can learn from its willingness to experiment, integrate technologies quickly, and turn ideas into visible customer experiences.

We returned with plenty of inspiration, new questions, and despite many opportunities, still no adopted robot.