Financial Times Asia Wealth Summit: Physical AI: The Next Frontier for Private Capital in China

For the first time, private capital investments in Chinese robotics companies nearly matched those in AI. That milestone framed a timely conversation at the FT Asia Wealth Summit, hosted by Professional Wealth Management (PWM) and Financial Times Live.

APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun joined a panel examining how investors are approaching the opportunity in "Physical AI" in China — the convergence of robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence that is rapidly reshaping the country's industrial and investment landscape.

The discussion explored what this shift in private capital flows signals for the broader region, and how geopolitical dynamics are influencing investor appetite for China's next wave of technological development. As the gap between AI and robotics investment narrows, the question is no longer whether Physical AI is a serious asset class — but how investors navigate it in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.