China Details Technology Race Blueprint

China will outline its next phase in the technology race with the West, converting recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, space, and robotics into industrial scale and capital market momentum. The country's leadership will publish its annual government work report and budget plans.

Credit: UNITREE ROBOTICS

These details will be presented at the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's parliament. The 15th Five-Year Plan for 2026–2030, a comprehensive blueprint for industrial policy, will also be released.

The reports clarify Beijing's priorities and indicate which industries will receive generous funding and policy support. Last year, artificial intelligence models received a mention for the first time, while embodied intelligence, the technology powering humanoid robots, was also highlighted.

The NPC takes place weeks before a planned meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump from March 31 to April 2. Technology controls and supply chains are expected to be key discussion points during their talks.

The NPC also marks a year since Chinese AI developers attracted global attention for significant capability advancements. These leaps occurred despite tight U.S. restrictions on access to advanced chips and chipmaking equipment.

DeepSeek, the Chinese startup whose viral AI model release last year triggered a global tech share selloff and reshaped assumptions for China's technology competitiveness against the U.S., is widely expected to roll out a next-generation model in the coming days. Alfredo Montufar-Helu, a managing director at Ankura Consulting in Beijing, stated, "The shock is over."

Montufar-Helu added, "Now there is an expectation of what China can come up with next." The core challenge for Beijing is transforming individual breakthroughs into systematic, large-scale gains across manufacturing, logistics, and energy sectors.

Shujing He, a senior analyst at advisory firm Plenum China, suggested policymakers will likely push "AI-plus manufacturing." This strategy involves using large state-owned enterprises as anchor adopters, drawing startups and specialised suppliers into real-world deployment.

However, this strategy is also anticipated to reshape China's industrial structure. Shin Nakamura, president of Japanese manufacturer Daiwa Steel Tube Industries, observed that China's AI push may favour large, capital-intensive producers.

Nakamura said these larger organisations are better positioned to absorb deployment costs, while smaller firms face structural constraints. "The gap between large enterprises and SMEs in China will widen, and consolidation will accelerate," Nakamura added.

The five-year blueprint is also expected to reinforce embodied intelligence. China showcased advancements it had made in this area last month by putting Chinese-made humanoid robots performing dancing and martial arts centre stage on China's most-watched TV show, the annual CCTV Spring Festival gala.

Significant leaps in hardware technology underpin China's confidence in robotics. Mike Nielsen, an executive at computer vision firm RealSense, which has collaborated with leading Chinese robotics organisation Unitree, stated, "Mechatronics — especially balance, motor control, and dynamic locomotion — has improved dramatically."

Nielsen noted, "China has shown major momentum, with early-stage platforms now demonstrating much higher agility and stability." Despite these advancements, Chinese regulators are cautioning about low differentiation among more than 150 domestic humanoid robot developers.

Analysts predict consolidation is likely to occur more quickly than in earlier strategic sectors, such as electric vehicles. Space represents another test case for Beijing's drive to convert research into industrial strength.

Private launch firm LandSpace said it plans another recovery attempt this year for its reusable Zhuque-3 rocket. The organisation became the first Chinese company to conduct a full test of an orbital-class reusable launcher in December.

Despite the excitement, China's emerging industries are not projected to generate sufficient investment to power 5% GDP growth in the coming years. U.S. research firm Rhodium Group indicated that Beijing will continue relying on exports to support its economy.

This also implies Beijing will prioritise sectors with more immediate commercial impact, such as autonomous driving, according to Plenum's He. The five-year plan will also be scrutinised for how Beijing intends to protect the industrial foundations supporting its technology push.

Supply chains themselves are becoming instruments of geopolitical pressure. China has expanded its use of export controls into rare earths and low-end semiconductors, disrupting global supply chains and underscoring Beijing's economic leverage.

Doug Friedman, CEO of U.S. biomanufacturing institute BioMADE, stated, "What we see happening with rare earths is also happening in the industrial chemicals industry." Friedman highlighted that as Beijing lays out its next five-year industrial strategy, the stakes are becoming clearer.

Friedman said, "Right now, we're neck and neck," referring to the U.S. and China. He believes, "Whoever doubles down over the next three to five years is going to gain a real lead."

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• China's parliament will unveil a new five-year plan detailing technology ambitions in AI, robotics, and space.

• The plan aims to transform technology breakthroughs into large-scale industrial gains and capital market momentum.

• Policymakers are expected to push "AI-plus manufacturing," potentially reshaping China's industrial structure and favouring large enterprises.

Source: REUTERS

Supreme Court Rejects AI-Generated Art Copyright Case

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a dispute regarding copyrights for art generated by artificial intelligence, turning away a case involving a computer scientist. This decision upholds lower court rulings that AI-created visual art is ineligible for copyright protection without a human creator.

Computer scientist Stephen Thaler appealed to the justices after federal courts upheld a U.S. Copyright Office decision. The office ruled that "A Recent Entrance to Paradise," a piece of visual art created by Thaler's AI technology, "DABUS," lacked the necessary human authorship.

Thaler, from St. Charles, Missouri, had sought federal copyright registration for the visual art. The image depicts train tracks entering a portal, surrounded by green and purple plant imagery.

The Copyright Office rejected his application, finding that creative works must have human authors to be eligible for copyright. A federal judge in Washington later upheld the office's decision, stating that human authorship is a "bedrock requirement of copyright."

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed the ruling in 2025. President Donald Trump's administration had urged the Supreme Court not to hear Thaler's appeal.

Thaler's lawyers argued in a filing to the Supreme Court that the case was of "paramount importance" due to the rapid rise of generative AI. They expressed concern that a refusal to hear the appeal would negatively impact AI development in the creative industry.

The administration maintained that the Copyright Act, while not defining "author," makes it clear the term refers to a human, not a machine. The Copyright Office has also separately rejected bids for copyrights on images generated by the AI system Midjourney, where artists claimed entitlement for AI-assisted works, a situation distinct from Thaler's claim that his system created 'A Recent Entrance to Paradise' independently.

Thaler's request to the Supreme Court in a separate case concerning AI-generated inventions for patent protection was also previously rejected. His patent applications for prototypes of a beverage holder and a light beacon were denied by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on similar grounds.

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• The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case on AI-generated art copyright.

• Lower courts upheld the U.S. Copyright Office's decision, stating AI art requires a human creator for protection.

• Stephen Thaler's artwork, "A Recent Entrance to Paradise," created by his AI system "DABUS," was denied copyright.

Source: REUTERS

Cyborg Cockroach Swarms Deployed for NATO Reconnaissance

German defence technology startup SWARM Biotactics has deployed programmable cyborg insect swarms for reconnaissance, providing them to paying NATO customers, including German military forces. This move takes a seemingly fictional concept from experiments to operational field use.

Credit: Linkedin/SWARM Biotactics

In a statement dated February 25, Chief Executive Officer Stefan Wilhelm confirmed the company’s systems have undergone field-testing and validation in both European and U.S. operating environments. Wilhelm stated, "One year ago, this didn’t exist. Today, we deploy programmable cyborg insect swarms, field-tested and operational with paying NATO customers."

This announcement follows earlier disclosures in July 2025 that the Kassel-headquartered firm was developing insect-based reconnaissance platforms. These platforms use live cockroaches fitted with miniature electronic modules, now confirmed to be in real-world validation phases with actual defence customers.

Credit: SWARM Biotactics

The company states its platforms combine living insects with bioelectronic neural interfaces, onboard sensors, edge artificial intelligence processing, and secure communications links. Electrical stimulation facilitates guided movement, and swarm autonomy software allows multiple units to function as a coordinated system.

Wilhelm elaborated, "What you’re seeing is real. Living organisms, controlled through bioelectronic neural interfaces, carrying sensors, edge AI, and secure comms. Moving as a coordinated unit. Scaling through breeding, not factories."

The insects carry compact "backpacks" that integrate control electronics, sensing devices, and encrypted short-range communication modules. These payloads enable real-time data collection and transmission in areas inaccessible to conventional drones or ground robots.

Unlike traditional unmanned systems using mechanical propulsion, the company’s method leverages insects’ natural locomotion, adding digital command and sensing capabilities. This biological basis permits movement through confined, cluttered, or structurally compromised spaces with minimal acoustic and visual signatures.

SWARM Biotactics has developed a full-stack architecture encompassing neural interface hardware, swarm autonomy software, modular payload integration, and mission-control systems. Wilhelm asserted, "No other company in the Western world is building this."

The company has also confirmed raising about USD 15.36 million, including a previously disclosed EUR 10 million seed round and EUR 3 million in pre-seed financing. This capital supports expansion across Germany and the United States.

Germany has launched a broader initiative to accelerate defence innovation, specifically in artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. This involves increasing defence spending and integrating startups into national procurement.

In early 2026, European leaders also articulated a desire to strengthen indigenous defence capabilities. This desire arises amid debates about strategic autonomy following tensions over U.S. policy toward Greenland, accelerating discussions about Europe’s role within NATO.

While the EU strives for strategic autonomy, homegrown defence firms like SWARM Biotactics are expected to receive support and the right environment to develop their technologies. Wilhelm framed the company’s approach as distinct from conventional robotics development. He stated, "We’re not building a better drone. We’re building a different scaling law for physical intelligence — one where capability compounds through biology, not engineering complexity."

Autonomous systems development has traditionally concentrated on aerial drones, ground vehicles, and maritime platforms. Conversely, biologically integrated systems have largely stayed within laboratory research phases.

SWARM Biotactics noted that other nations are also investing in bio-robotics for military applications. Wilhelm warned, "Meanwhile, adversaries are investing heavily in bio-robotics for military applications. The capability gap is real, and it’s closing — from the other side."

With confirmed field tests, paying defence customers, and continued funding, the startup’s insect-based platforms represent a new category of reconnaissance technology with widespread implications.

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• SWARM Biotactics has deployed programmable cyborg insect swarms for NATO reconnaissance.

• The systems have undergone field-testing and validation in European and U.S. operating environments.

• Platforms combine living insects with bioelectronic neural interfaces, sensors, and secure communications for guided movement.

Source: INTERESTING ENGINEERING