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Kling AI Secures $2.8 Billion Backing from Alibaba and Tencent at $15 Billion Valuation

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Kuaishou’s AI video platform Kling AI has secured commitments for more than $2.8 billion in new funding from a consortium of major Chinese technology companies, including Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu, in one of the largest artificial intelligence financing rounds in China this year.

The investment values Kling AI at $15 billion before the new capital injection and underscores the accelerating competition in AI-generated video, one of the fastest-growing segments of generative artificial intelligence.

Kling AI has emerged as one of China’s leading text-to-video platforms, with revenue growing more than fourfold year-over-year during the latest quarter. The strong commercial performance has reinforced investor confidence that AI-generated multimedia is moving beyond experimentation and becoming a viable enterprise and consumer business.

The participation of Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu is particularly significant. Rather than competing solely through internal development, China’s largest technology companies are also investing strategically in promising AI platforms, strengthening their exposure to the next generation of generative AI while expanding broader ecosystem partnerships.

The fundraising also reflects the continued momentum of China’s AI sector despite geopolitical pressures and technology restrictions. Investor appetite for AI companies remains strong, with capital increasingly flowing toward businesses focused on foundation models, intelligent agents, robotics, and generative content technologies.

For Kuaishou, the transaction transforms Kling AI from a wholly owned business into a more independently financed growth platform. Although Kuaishou will remain the majority shareholder, the new ownership structure could provide greater flexibility for future expansion, product development, and potentially an eventual public listing.

The deal highlights another important trend in the AI market: video generation is rapidly becoming one of the industry’s most competitive frontiers. As AI models improve in realism, editing capability, and production efficiency, companies are racing to build platforms capable of serving creators, advertisers, entertainment companies, and enterprise users.

Kling AI’s funding round demonstrates that investors increasingly view generative video as a strategic growth market alongside large language models and AI infrastructure, positioning it as a key battleground in the global artificial intelligence race.

Chinese humanoid robot maker AgiBot plans $6.4 billion Hong Kong IPO

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Chinese robotics firm AgiBot is preparing for a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) next year that could value the company between HK$40 billion and HK$50 billion ($5.14–$6.4 billion), according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The move positions AgiBot as one of China’s most prominent humanoid robot startups entering public markets amid the country’s rapid push into automation and AI-driven robotics.

Backed by major investors including Tencent, HongShan Capital Group (HSG), LG Electronics, and BYD, AgiBot has hired CICC, CITIC Securities, and Morgan Stanley to manage the listing. The firm reportedly plans to issue 15–25% of its shares and aims to file a preliminary prospectus in early 2026, targeting a Q3 listing.

Founded in 2023 by former Huawei engineers Deng Taihua and Peng Zhihui, Shanghai-based AgiBot develops the Yuanzheng and Lingxi humanoid robot series, which perform complex manual tasks such as folding clothes, making coffee, and cleaning. The robots are designed for industrial and service applications in manufacturing and logistics, and the company also provides data collection tools for AI model training.

AgiBot’s rise has been accelerated by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s public endorsement, following his visit to its Shanghai facility earlier this year. The company recently partnered with Fulin Precision Engineering to deploy nearly 100 Yuanzheng robots in automotive part factories.

The IPO would follow that of Ubtech Robotics, the first humanoid robot firm to list in Hong Kong, whose shares have surged 150% this year. Rival Unitree Robotics is also seeking a $7 billion listing on Shanghai’s STAR Market.

Hong Kong has emerged as the world’s top IPO destination in 2025, with more than 270 listings raising $24 billion, largely from mainland Chinese companies. AgiBot’s debut would further solidify the city’s growing role as the hub for AI and robotics capital markets.

Chinese Robotics Startup Unitree Targets $7B IPO Valuation Amid Tech Push

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Chinese humanoid robotics firm Unitree Robotics is preparing for a landmark IPO on Shanghai’s STAR Market, seeking a valuation of up to 50 billion yuan ($7 billion), according to sources. The company, founded in 2016 by Wang Xingxing, has gained global attention with viral videos of robots walking, climbing, and carrying loads.

Unitree confirmed last week that IPO preparations are underway, with a formal application expected in Q4, though it disputed reports on the exact valuation. If successful, this would be one of China’s largest onshore tech listings in years, underscoring Beijing’s drive to fund domestic “unicorns” and bolster self-sufficiency in robotics and AI.

The potential listing comes after a funding round in June that included investments from Alibaba, Tencent, and Geely, boosting Unitree’s valuation to 12 billion yuan. Sources say the company is already profitable, with annual revenue above 1 billion yuan, and poised for rapid growth.

Unitree’s IPO plans coincide with China’s heavy investment in robotics and AI to counter U.S. tech rivalry and address an aging population. The humanoid robot industry enjoys strong government subsidies and policy support, making Unitree a likely beneficiary.

The company’s targeted valuation would mark a sharp jump from its last funding round, testing investor appetite for humanoid robotics — a field where China is positioning itself as a global leader.