Chinese regulators blocked Japan's SoftBank from acquiring the robotics business of Switzerland's ABB for 5.4 billion US dollars, according to reports. China is ABB Robotics' largest market, and the concern centered on the risk that robot and AI-training data could leave the country, affecting national security.
The foreign ministry said related questions should be directed to competent authorities. The case sends a clear signal that data flows have become a key consideration in cross-border merger reviews in the robotics and AI era — regulators are watching not only equity but also the direction of data, as smart manufacturing generates sensitive operational information.
